RACE SUMMARY

Hero MotoSports Team Rally - the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, Hero MotoCorp, delivered a stellar performance in Stage 4 of the Rallye Du Maroc, the fifth and final round of the 2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC). The Chilean rider Nacho Cornejo claimed a stage victory, making it a proud day for the team.

Competing in the premier Rally GP class, Nacho put in a masterful ride through a demanding stage that featured tricky navigation across varied terrains. The stage victory at Erfoud underlines both Nacho’s growing confidence on the Hero 450 Rally, and the team’s consistent progress on the world rally stage.

Ross Branch, the reigning World Champion, bounced back strong from the previous day’s mechanical setback, and finished Stage 4 in the 7th fastest time. Ross’ determined performance reflected his trademark grit and kept the team’s overall momentum high. Meanwhile, Austrian rider Tobias Ebster continued his consistent run with another impressive ride, finishing the stage in the 13th position, and 6th in the Rally2 category.

With yet another top result to his tally, Nacho has climbed up to the 5th position in the overall race standings. Tobias also improved his positions across both leaderboards, now sitting 11th overall and 4th in Rally2. Ross, who lost crucial time in Stage 3 owing to a mechanical issue, continues to push forward from his 25th position in the general classification.

It was a landmark day for Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo, who delivered a composed and confident performance through one of the rally’s most technical stages, navigating with precision and maintaining a strong rhythm throughout. Elated with the result, Nacho dedicated the win to the entire Hero MotoSports family - from the mechanics and engineers on-site to the support teams in Germany and the team’s race HQ in India.

In Stage 4, staying true to his “Kalahari Ferrari” spirit, Ross Branch recovered quickly from brief navigation slips and maintained a strong, steady pace even through a spell of rain. Tobias too showed great composure, catching the front group early on before losing some time in a wrong valley, but bounced back to finish strong.

Thursday’s Stage 4 took competitors on yet another loop around Erfoud - covering a total distance of 378 km, including a 283 km special. The special was fast and flowing, set on predominantly sandy terrain. While there were no major dunes this time, the riders faced several small cordons and technical trial-like sections that added to the challenge. Many described it as the most beautiful stage of the rally so far.