Hino Scores 34th Consecutive Finish in Dakar Rally
Hino, the only Japanese manufacturer in a field of 44 trucks entered for the 2025 Dakar Rally and continued its unblemished record of always having at least one finisher in the 34 events of this rally-raid it has contested in since 1991.
Usually, Hino enters only one or two trucks and this year, as in the past four, there was only a singleton entry from Hino. The rest of the field was made up of trucks from major European manufacturers, the majority of which are fitted with much larger engines than the Hino’s 9-litre power unit.
The Hino, entered by Team Hino Sugawara and crewed by the Japanese trio of Teruhito Sugawara, the team director and driver, Somemiya Hirokazu, the co-driver and navigator, and Mochizuki Yuji, a mechanic, finished 13th this year. This marked the 20th consecutive Dakar finish by Teruhito Sugawara, equalling the record of his father, Yoshimasa, who competed in 36 Dakar rallies and founded Team Hino Sugawara in 1992 as the official entrant of Hino racing trucks in the Dakar.
The four-wheel drive Hino racing truck used for the past four Dakar Rallies is based on the bonneted 600 Series model sold only in North America, but its drivetrain specification is similar to those of the 500 Series models marketed in South Africa.
This year’s Dakar Rally consisted of a route of 7 826 km with 4 903 km being special timed racing sections over 14 days. The first section was particularly demanding as it included two double stages where there was no outside servicing allowed at the overnight stops. This proved very stressful for the crews as they had to conserve their vehicles, and especially the tyres for two full days while trying to go as fast as the conditions allowed.
“The Hino South Africa team and our dealers are once again delighted that the racing truck has been able to continue its amazing reputation of reliability in the toughest motor sport event in the world,”
commented Itumeleng Segage, the Hino SA General Manager.
