Hino’s long-running Dakar Rally campaign has reached another milestone, with Hino Team Sugawara completing its 35th consecutive finish at the 2026 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
The team brought its Hino 600 Series truck home 15th in the truck category, extending a record that remains unmatched in Dakar Rally history.
Just as significant was the individual achievement of team director and driver Teruhito Sugawara, who recorded his 21st consecutive Dakar finish. That result sees him surpass the previous benchmark of 20 consecutive finishes set by his father, Yoshimasa Sugawara, before his retirement in 2019.
Sugawara was joined in the cab by navigator Hirokazu Somemiya and navigator-mechanic Yuji Mochizuki, supported by a dedicated team of Hino mechanics throughout the event.
The rally began strongly for the Japanese outfit, with the truck running reliably through the opening stages and holding eighth place in the truck category during the first half of the event. However, the second half delivered a series of setbacks, including a crash during a dune stage, intercom failures that hampered in-cab communication, damage to the transfer case, and a burst tyre just 15 kilometres from the finish on the final day.
Despite the challenges, the team was able to keep the truck moving and secure another classified finish.
“Once again, the team’s ability to overcome issues to record yet another consecutive finish is a testament to the quality, durability and reliability that Hino is renowned for,” said Richard Emery, President & CEO of Hino Australia.
“As a sponsor of Hino Team Sugawara for the last 13 years, we would like to congratulate the team on their result with a particular commendation to Teruhito Sugawara’s record of consecutive finishes,” Emery said.
The Dakar Rally was run over 15 days in 2026, featuring 13 stages and covering close to 8,000 kilometres in total, including around 5,000 kilometres of competitive special stages.
This year’s event also introduced additional complexity, with the traditional Marathon and 48-Chrono stages replaced by two Marathon-Refuge stages. These stages placed added pressure on crews, limiting external assistance and requiring competitors to rely on support from fellow entrants.
Hino’s Dakar contender is equipped with full-time four-wheel drive and powered by a 9-litre direct-injection A09C engine with turbocharging and intercooling. The powertrain delivers 588kW at 2,800rpm and 2,430Nm of torque at 1,600rpm, engineered to withstand the extreme demands of one of motorsport’s toughest endurance events.
With another Dakar finish secured, Hino Team Sugawara’s record of consistency and resilience remains one of the most enduring stories in international rally competition.
