Sun City, South Africa,25May 2025.
Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s
largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters - Hero MotoCorp, has successfully completed its campaign at the South
African Safari Rally 2025 – the third round of the FIM World Rally-Raid
Championship (W2RC) 2025.
After
five grueling stages across the Savannah, Nacho Cornejo and Tobias Ebster
secured impressive top-10 finishes overall — Nacho placing 6thand
Tobias 9th while Botswana’s own Ross Branch finished 11thoverall
in the rally. In the Rally 2 category, Tobias made a strong debut with Hero
MotoSports, clinching 2ndplace overall. With this performance,
Tobias continues to lead the Rally 2 Championship standings.
Today’s Stage 5 witnessed Ross Branch bounce back with a
spirited ride, finishing 3rd — just around two minutes off the stage
winner—while Nacho continued his run of consistency, securing 7th place. Tobias
also maintained his momentum, finishing 9th in the stage.
Meanwhile, Ebster won today’s stage in Rally 2, securing
the team’s first-ever stage win in this category.The young Austrian talent is
making a strong case for the title with two races remaining this season. His
consistent pace and four podium finishes in Rally 2 at this rally reflect his
growing confidence and synergy with the team.
Nacho once again proved to be dependable for the team,
finishing top-10 in all stages in this rally. After finishing 7that
Dakar and 6that the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge earlier this season,
his current form promises exciting results in the remaining rounds.
The ongoing season has been quite a challenging one for
Ross Branch. After an unfortunate crash at Dakar and a premature exit at the
Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, he entered the Safari Rally with renewed energy.
His Stage 1 win and Stage 3 podium reaffirm his speed and determination.
Despite the setback in Stage 2, Ross remains optimistic and is eager to
capitalize on the remaining two rounds of the championship—racing as the
reigning World Champion.
With 34 points after the 3rd round,
Nacho has moved to the 7th position in the World Championship. Ross,
on the other hand, has opened his tally with 8 points in the table.
The South African Safari Rally wrapped up today with the
fifth and final stage in Sun City, spanning 216 kilometers — including 118
kilometers of timed special. Though short, the stage was anything but easy,
demanding razor-sharp focus through a mix of slick hard-packed cotton soil,
river crossings, and loose gravel. The terrain breakdown featured 44% “black
turf” typical of local XXL farms, 27% savannah with dense vegetation, 7% rocks,
and 16% red earth tracks. A final 33-kilometer liaison brought competitors back
to the bivouac, where they were welcomed with celebration.
Making its debut on the W2RC calendar, the South African
Safari Rally has quickly earned a reputation as a future classic. The groundbreaking
event tested the endurance, adaptability, and technical skill of the world’s
best rally racers. From fast-flowing savannah trails to rocky outcrops and
deceptive black earth, the rally showcased South Africa’s raw and rugged beauty
while challenging competitors with diverse terrain and shifting weather. As a
new addition to the championship, the Safari Rally stands out not only for its
stunning landscapes but also for the sheer variety and intensity it brought to
the W2RC season.
Up next, Hero MotoSports Team Rally is
all set to take on the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal, scheduled to take place
from September 22–28, 2025. As the fourth round in the FIM World Rally-Raid
Championship (W2RC) calendar, this event presents a fresh opportunity for the
team. Buoyed by the momentum and confidence gained from the South African
Safari Rally, the team is more focused than ever to conquer the terrain and
leave a lasting mark on the championship.With the final two rounds remaining in
this season, Hero
MotoSports now looks ahead with renewed motivation and strong momentum across
both Rally GP and Rally 2 categories.
Wolfgang
Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally:
“Overall,
it was a very good race — congratulations to the organizers for delivering a
fantastic event. The new terrain brought a fresh challenge and was very well
received by the Southern Africa motorsports community. We came in aiming for
victory with Ross, and he showed strong form by leading after Stage 1.
Unfortunately, a large bird strike in Stage 2 damaged his oil cooler, ending
his podium hopes — that’s rally, some things are just out of your hands. Still,
Ross showed great resilience, finishing the marathon stage and securing two
more stage podiums. Most importantly, he proved he's back and competitive after
his Dakar injury.”
“Nacho
had some ups and downs — this terrain doesn’t naturally suit his style, but he
stayed consistent and we can always depend on him for a solid result. Tobias
has an impressive debut with us, adapting quickly, finishing second in Rally2
overall, and closing with a stage win. We couldn’t have asked for more. It’s a
promising outlook for the upcoming races. While we take a short break from
racing, the work continues with testing and prep. We’re looking forward to
joining the championship battle again in Portugal.”
Tobias
Ebster, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally:
“The
last stage is done, and it’s an emotional moment for me. It was just 111 km
today, and I had a great rhythm until around the 92nd kilometre, when my bike
suddenly stopped. A wire was stuck in the rear tyre — I had to stop and cut it
out with a side cutter. I also had a small crash and an issue at the
checkpoint, but in the end, I’m super happy. We got our first Rally2 stage win
for Hero MotoSports today. We made steady progress all week, and I’m proud —
not just for myself, but for the entire team. Finishing second overall in
Rally2 and keeping our lead in the Rally2 World Championship is a great
achievement. A huge thanks to the team for their support and to everyone who
came to the track or sent messages — you really kept us going. See you in
Portugal in September!”
Nacho
Cornejo, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally:
"We
are done with the Safari Rally—it’s been a super cool week of racing here in
South Africa. We had our ups and downs, but also a couple of really strong
stages. I was able to perform well in conditions that have typically been a
weakness for me, so that’s a big positive.Yes, I lost some time here and there,
but overall, I believe we’re moving in the right direction and making clear
improvements in these kinds of terrains. I want to thank the entire
team—managers, technicians, physios—everyone who works so hard behind the
scenes to support us. Also, a big thank you to all the fans and supporters for
the encouragement. We’ll keep pushing and working hard for the final two rounds
of the year!”
Ross
Branch, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally:
“It’s
the end of the Safari Rally here in South Africa, and what an incredible week
of racing it’s been! I truly enjoyed every moment — the atmosphere, the people,
and the passionate spectators made it all the more special. The bike performed
flawlessly as always. Unfortunately, we had a setback due to an incident on Day
2, which impacted our overall standings. But we’re back on pace now, the speed
is there, and I’m really happy with how everything is coming together. Looking
ahead, I’m excited for Morocco and Portugal. A big thank you to everyone for
all the support!”