Stage 12 of the Dakar Rally 2023 in Saudi Arabia marked the end of a two-day marathon stage, with Sebastian Buhler finishing the stage in 8th position. Ross Branch finished the stage 13 seconds behind Buhler in 10th position, with Franco Caimi finishing in 13th position in the Rally GP Class for Hero MotoSports Team Rally.
The riders traversed a distance of over 375km through a sea of dunes in the Empty Quarter – the largest continuous sand desert in the world, with Stage 12 of the Dakar being a challenging one, demanding excellent bike handling skills. The riders from Hero MotoSports Team Rally finished the two day marathon stage successfully without any issues to their bikes, and Sebastian Buhler, who finished in the top 10 for the fourth time during the Dakar Rally, now holds 17th place in the overall rankings.
Franco Caimi suffered a big crash in the desert today, having misjudged a jump off a steep dune and landing on his feet. However, Caimi recouped from his fall and finished just outside the top 10, finishing in 12th place in the overall standings. Ross Branch was able to sprint to the finish, and maintains his 19th overall position in the Rally GP class. Moving forward, the race moves northward to Al Hofuf, with Stage 13 being the last opportunity for riders to surf through the Saudi dunes this season.