Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, has successfully completed the Dakar Rally 2025, reinforcing its position as a formidable force in the world’s toughest rally. The team completed this year’s rally at overall 7th position, registering its second best Dakar performance in nine years, after it finished 2nd overall at the world’s toughest rally last year.
The team’s young Chilean rider, Nacho Cornejo, delivered a stellar performance, maintaining top-10 standings throughout the rally and securing an overall 7th place finish. Nacho showcased remarkable grit and determination, demonstrating his consistency across the stages. Since Stage 1, he remained in the top-10, climbed to 7th place in Stage 8, and held on to that position till the finish, proving his mettle on the unforgiving Dakar terrain.
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Hero MotoSports Team Rally entered the Dakar 2025 with a strong three-rider squad —Ross Branch, Sebastian Bühler, and Nacho Cornejo. The team made a remarkable start, with the 2024 W2RC Champion – Ross Branch storming into 2nd place in the Prologue, followed by achieving the Stage 1 podium at 3rd place, achieving back-to-back stage podium finishes. He continued his outstanding form, maintaining 3rd place in overall rankings till Stage 5. However, an unfortunate crash in Stage 6 forced him to exit the rally, cutting short his podium charge. His teammate – Sebastian Bühler, who was looking in a good rhythm early on, also met with an unfortunate crash in Stage 1, leading to his early withdrawal from the race.
Despite these challenges, Hero MotoSports showcased its resilience and fighting spirit, proving its capability to compete at the highest level. Nacho’s strong finish in 7th place overall highlights the team’s growing stature in the Dakar Rally and sets a solid foundation for the season ahead. The team remains committed to pushing boundaries and deliver stronger performances in the upcoming rallies. With this performance, Hero MotoSports continues its mission of making a mark in the world of rally racing, and the journey ahead looks promising.
The Hero 450 Rally delivered a flawless performance at Dakar 2025, completing the grueling rally with zero technical issues — a true testament to Hero’s engineering excellence.
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In its sixth year at Saudi Arabia, the 2025 edition was undoubtedly one of the toughest Dakars so far with long stages, extreme terrains, and tricky navigation right from the start. Dakar 2025 kicked off with intense challenges, featuring the return of the grueling 48-hour Chrono stage that took place right at the start of the rally, and two marathon stages. A total of 335 vehicles and 580 competitors from 52 nationalities embarked on the 7,700 km rally across the Arabian desert. For the first time, FIM and FIA vehicles navigated separate routes for nearly 45% of the distance.
Adverse weather played a significant role at this year’s Dakar, forcing multiple adjustments. Strong winds and sandstorms in Bisha disrupted early preparations even before the start of the rally, while severe storms in Al Henakiyah led to a shortened Stage 3, reducing the original 496 km route to 327 km. Moreover, the Stage 11 in the empty quarter also saw a delayed start due to dense fog that also interrupted helicopter support. For safety reasons, the FIM route was cut from 308 km to 152 km yesterday, ensuring competitors avoid racing in darkness.
Up next from here, Hero MotoSports Team Rally is geared up to take on the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, happening in the UAE from Feb 21-27, 2025. Carrying forward a lot of optimism from Dakar, the team is more focused than ever to conquer the dunes and make their mark!
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Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally says, “Hello everyone from the finish line of Dakar 2025! I’d like to extend big congratulations to Nacho on securing an impressive 7th place overall. Despite facing significant challenges, including the loss of Basti and Ross early on, Nacho demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination. While our overall result may not have met our pre-rally expectations, we’re incredibly proud of our team’s achievements. We experienced zero technical issues throughout the event, and our crew worked seamlessly together.”
“Unfortunately, a small mistake in the Prologue gave him a tactical disadvantage for the rest of the week. We’re already looking forward to the next races, eager to build on our experiences and strive for even better results.”
Nacho Cornejo, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally says, “We’ve crossed the finish line at Dakar Rally 2025, an epic adventure that threw everything at us – treacherous rocks, towering dunes, tricky navigation, and long stages. Although we didn’t get off to the strongest start, we fought our way back to the front, securing multiple top-3 and top-5 finishes. We were in the mix with the leading pack, but the early time losses ultimately put us in 7th place overall. While it’s not the result we were aiming for, we’re proud of our resilience and determination.”
“I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to every single member of our team – mechanics, technicians, managers, logistics experts, and helpers. Your tireless efforts and dedication were instrumental in our success. Our bike performed flawlessly throughout, a testament to the team’s hard work. Thank you to everyone who supported us on this journey. We’ll keep pushing hard and look forward to the next challenge!”
