RACE SUMMARY

Hero MotoSports Team Rally - the motorsport arm of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, Hero MotoCorp - has officially launched its campaign at the 48th edition of the Dakar Rally. Marking a decade of defiance, this becomes the team’s tenth successive appearance at the world’s most prestigious rally event. Having successfully completed the short, yet demanding 22 km Prologue stage with a strong overall showing, their Dakar 2026 journey has kicked-off with much confidence and momentum.

Competing with a formidable line-up comprising of Ross Branch, Nacho Cornejo and Tobias Ebster, the team is in great form, ready to deliver a solid campaign. While Ross and Nacho feature in the elite Rally GP class, Tobias arrives at Dakar as a strong contender in the Rally2 category.

Ross Branch set the tone high at Prologue with an impressive 5th place finish, followed by Tobias Ebster in 11th place, and Nacho Cornejo in the 20th position. Runner-up of the 2025 Rally2 World Cup, Tobias is also 2nd in the Rally2 category at the Dakar Prologue stage.

Following administrative and technical scrutineering, 317 vehicles took the start line of Dakar 2026, featuring 564 competitors from 49 nationalities. The motorcycle category includes 115 riders, among them 15 elite Rally GP competitors and 100 Rally2 entrants, highlighting the depth and competitiveness of this year’s field.

Kicking off today with the Prologue stage, Dakar Rally 2026 features a new route spanning 13 stages and 8,000+ kilometres that span from the Red sea coast to the vast Arabian desert. Nearly 5,000 kilometres will be timed, making it one of the longest and most demanding Dakars in recent years.

Starting in Yanbu, the Rally will traverse in the heart of Saudi Arabia through Riyadh, and will return to Yanbu for the finish after 2 weeks. The program features two marathon stages, one in each week, where competitors will camp in the desert overnight without any external mechanical assistance. As with every edition since 2020, Dakar 2026 will run entirely within Saudi Arabia, making the Kingdom the sole host of the Dakar Rally for the seventh consecutive year.

While the Rally does not enter the Empty Quarter this year, competitors can expect no respite from the sand. The second week will present particularly demanding dune sections around Wadi Al Dawasir, ensuring a relentless test of endurance, navigation, and resilience.