RACE SUMMARY

Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters - Hero MotoCorp, completed the 4th and penultimate Stage of the 2024 edition of Desafio Ruta 40. Competing in the premier Rally GP class, Hero MotoSports riders Ross Branch, Sebastian Buhler, and Nacho Cornejo finished the Stage in the 4th, 7th and 9th positions respectively.

Clocking over 650 kms on the saddle, the competitors found the second loop around La Rioja demanding, and very exhausting. The day started off in the only dune section in this edition of the DR40. Several changing terrains under the morning sun made it difficult for the competitors to throttle ahead confidently – chotts, uphill and downhill dunes, sandy river crossings, and more dunes. Navigation was also particularly difficult in this very technical WRC-style track. In all, the competitors had to cover 264 km of road sections and 391 km against the clock, on this long day.

Moving on towards the very end of the Rally, the pace has become extremely high in the top order. There is no room for mistake or slowing down, as the competition becomes neck to neck at this 4th round of the W2RC 2024. Ross Branch – the current leader of the World Championship - has shown consistent top performance right from the start of the race, and is currently in the 5th overall place. Sebastian Buhler and Nacho Cornejo stand in the 7th and 9th overall positions in the Rally GP class.

With just one stage left in the race, the competitors will now focus on going all in on a final dash to improve their positions. If there are no major shake ups in the standings in the last day, Ross is expected to walk away from the race maintaining his World Championship lead position.