RACE SUMMARY

Hero MotoSports Team Rally completed its campaign at the 2025 edition of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, with their rider Nacho Cornejo finishing in the overall 6th position.

Hero factory rider Nacho Cornejo followed up his impressive Dakar 2025 performance with a highly consistent act all through the six days of the rally. He finished well within the top-10 spots in every stage, and fought well to maintain his overall top position. In the fifth and final stage, he crossed the finish line in the 7th fastest time, and earned the 6th place in the overall standings of the rally.

His fellow team mate, Ross Branch had to withdraw during Stage 2 of the rally due to an unfortunate technical mishap. Ross was well placed in the overall top-5 at the time of his exit. Nacho became the sole Hero rider in the race, and yet, he managed to put up a terrific fight to break into the overall top-5 positions, working his way up consistently. The Chilean bagged two Stage podium finishes this week, battling an extremely fierce competition amongst the sport’s top riders.

The last and 5th stage of the rally sent the competitors on a final dash northward from Mezair’a to Abu Dhabi. Only 167 of the 364 km journey were timed in this special. A podium ceremony and gala event by the shores of the Arabian Gulf closed this edition of the challenge, which was also the second round of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) 2025.

The top positions at ADDC were tightly contested by top Rally GP class riders, all of whom had an equal chance to find a place on the final podium. At the end of 4 Stages, the 2nd to 6th position holders were separated by just under 2 minutes. While crossing the final finish line today, after 6 days of back-to-back racing, Cornejo was just 6 minutes away from the podium. This goes on to show how vigorously competitive the battle for the top positions have become at ADDC.

This was also one of the best performances from Nacho Cornejo in recent times. The Chilean who joined the Hero camp last year, had showcased an equally commendable ride at his first Dakar outing with the team. At Dakar 2025, as the lone Hero rider left in the race, a confident Nacho hung on till the end, and finished with an incredible 7th place overall. These solid performances from Nacho proves that he is on the right track with his Hero 450 Rally, and greater results are just around the corner. With 24 points after the 2nd round, Nacho has moved up to the 6th position in the World Championship.

In its 34th year now, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is traditionally known for its 100% sand conditions and highly technical nature. The organizer, Emirates Motorsport Organization (EMSO), reimagined several pieces to evolve this Emirati classic into a brand new identity. Over 60% of the 1920 km journey was planned in entirely new terrains, and the race itself started from the historic city of Al Ain instead of Abu Dhabi. From Al Ain, the rally caravan moved on to Mezaira'a in Al Dhafra region – the gateway to the Empty Quarter (Rub' al Khali), before finally heading back to Abu Dhabi for the traditional finish. Competitors also went on a Marathon Stage and camped overnight in one of the remotest parts of the UAE - the famous “Milkyway spot” in the Al Qua’a region.