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Akira Miura, brand ambassador for the "Open Country” SUV tire range, will contest two rounds of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).

This month Miura participates in the third round of the championship, the South African Safari Rally, taking place between May 18 and 24. Then later, in September, he joins the fourth round, the BP Ultimate Rally Raid Portugal which runs from September 22 to 28.

The World Rally-Raid Championship is the world's premier off-road rally competition series, certified by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), and is decided over five rounds each year in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, starting with the Dakar Rally in January. The  long-distance rally requires competitors to complete courses consisting of harsh environments and a variety of changing road conditions, from hard rocks to soft sand and slippery mud.

In cooperation with the respected Belgian racing team, "Overdrive Racing," we will be competing in the top “Ultimate” class with a Toyota Hilux driven by Takashi Miura, who won the top class at last year's second round of the FIA World Bajas Cup, the Baja Greece.The race prepared Hilux will be equipped with specially tuned "Open Country M/TR" tires.

Data obtained from both races will be used to improve performances including off-road capability and damage resistance, with the aim of participating and achieving a high ranking in the Dakar Rally, one of the world's most grueling races.

Toyo Tires' continuously utilizes knowledge gained through racing, to deliver higher performance, higher quality and more attractive products globally.

■ About Akira Miura
A rally driver from Team Land Cruiser Toyota Auto Body (TLC). In 2005, he joined Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd., which operates the team. The following year, after applying through an internal recruitment, he joined TLC as a navigator and participated in the Dakar Rally for the first time. He switched to being a driver in the 2016 edition and, since then, has won the production class five times in the Dakar Rally. He was victorious in 2018, 2021, 2022, 2024, and 2025. Miura has been recognized for his extensive experience and knowledge in off-road rallies and is active in a wide range of fields, including the development of the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 and 250 Series. He became the “Open Country” brand ambassador for Toyo Tires, from March 2023. Miura plans to participate in his first domestic rally in a Toyota Land Cruiser 250 from 2025. He will participate in round 3 of the "XCR Sprint Cup Hokkaido" the  "ARK Rally Kamui" and Round 4 "Rally Hokkaido"

■ About Open Country Series Tires
The Open Country series is Toyo Tires flagship SUV brand. Vehicles equipped with Open Country tires have achieved many excellent results in international races, where they have honed their durability and resistance to external damage to a high level. The high standard of performance and aggressive pattern designs are highly regarded both in Japan and overseas.

For more detailed product information, please see here:Open Country