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Toyo Tires is working with distribution partner in Hungary, AKH to support László Bunkoczi who is participating in the 15th edition of the Africa Eco Race. Bunkoczi will line up in the Rally Raid category in Monaco on 30th December. After crossing to Morocco the following day, the Africa Eco race will run over 6.000km through Morocco, Mauritania and Senegal before it reaches its conclusion in the historic city of Dakar on 14th January.

László Bunkoczi will race a modified Isuzu D-Max fitted with the newly developed Toyo Tires Open Country ATIII in size 265/60 R18. Bunkoczi is a vastly experienced desert racer having fisrt participated as a co-driver in 2004. He has since then racked up over 200.000km of racing. He joins this years Africa Eco race with his 15 year old son as co-driver to guide him through the dunes of the african terrain. Commenting on threir tyre choice before the race commenced, Bunkoczi said ". We are confident that these tyres will withstand the tough conditions and carry us to the finish in Dakar."

The Africa Eco Race is unlike other Rally Raids. The organizers promote environmental awareness and integrate responsible treatment of nature into the structure of the rally. Some of the organisers vehicles are powered by solar energy and the race participants are encouraged not to leave a “trail of destruction” behind them. In addition, they work with local companies instead of European sponsors. Since 2014 and in subsequent years, the organizers of the Africa Eco Race have been involved in the Million Tree Project in Nouakchott. As part of this project, one million trees will be planted on 2,000 hectares of land around the city of Nouakchott.

Since 2015, the organizers and participants of the Africa Eco Race have been supporting the humanitarian Meoni Foundation of the motorcycle racer Fabrizio Meoni, who died in an accident in 2005. In 2018, the Africa Eco Race began supporting the World Association of Children’s Friends (AMADE) annually. AMADE is a charity founded in 1963 by Princess Grace of Monaco to support the development, education and health of children worldwide. It has advisory status with UNICEF and UNESCO, among others. As part of the collaboration with AMADE, the trucks involved in the AER primarily transport solar lamps manufactured in Burkina Faso, which are intended to replace the petroleum lamps that were previously widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. The solar lamps can be purchased in advance of the rally by teams, individual participants, rally partners, members of the rally organization and anyone else interested for 20 euros and will be delivered free of charge to schools near the AER route in Mauritania and Senegal.

In the 2020 edition, Marcelina Zawadzka took part as a driver in the truck class and, in collaboration with Caritas Poland, delivered milk powder for sick and malnourished Senegalese children. In the same year, the participants of the rally donated over ten thousand euros to AMADE.