2025 Dakar Rally Stage 12: Hero MotoSports finishes the rally at 7th overall
Nacho Cornejo, the only remaining rider for the team finished 14th today while maintaining his 7th overall rank
Nacho Cornejo, the only remaining rider for the team finished 14th today while maintaining his 7th overall rank
The 2025 edition of the Dakar Rally, one of motorsport’s toughest and most prestigious events, has come to an end. As the only Indian team, the Hero MotoSports Team Rally had a lot riding on it. From podium finishes to unexpected setbacks, this year’s rally was pretty eventful for the team. Riders Sebastian Buhler, Ross Branch and Jose Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Cornejo Florimo showcased their talent and resilience, with Hero MotoSports continuing to make a strong statement on the global motorsport stage.
A start marked with highs and lows
The 47th Dakar Rally kicked off with a 29km Prologue stage in Bisha, where Ross Branch impressed by finishing second, a mere 12 seconds behind the leader. Teammates Sebastian Buhler and Nacho Cornejo faced early challenges, finishing 11th and 36th, respectively, setting the stage for the long and arduous journey ahead. The first full stage delivered both triumph and tragedy. Ross Branch secured a third-place finish, while Nacho Cornejo bounced back from his Prologue result to finish 9th. Unfortunately, Sebastian Buhler crashed out after 68km, suffering a shoulder injury that forced him to withdraw from the rally.
Stage 2, a gruelling two-day stage, tested the riders with over 900km of mixed terrain. Branch continued his charge, finishing 5th and keeping himself firmly in the top three overall. Nacho, focused on consistency, steadily improved his standings to end the stage in 9th place overall. Severe weather shortened Stage 3, but Branch made the most of the 327km special, finishing 4th and reducing the gap to the leader to just over two minutes. Nacho played it steady, ending the day in 13th, maintaining his 9th overall position. On the stony terrain of Stage 4, Nacho Cornejo delivered a stunning performance, securing a third-place finish and earning Hero MotoSports another podium. Branch faced navigation challenges but held onto third overall, though the gap to the leader widened. Both riders found their rhythm in Stage 5, with Nacho finishing 3rd and Branch close behind in 4th, maintaining his third overall spot. Stage 6 saw Nacho climbing to 8th overall after another strong 3rd-place result, while Branch faced technical issues that eventually forced him to retire from the rally, leaving Nacho as the sole Hero rider.
With Branch out of the race, Nacho Cornejo carried the flag for Hero MotoSports, delivering consistent results across the remaining stages. By Stage 9, he had moved up to 7th overall, maintaining his position against tough competition. In Stage 10, he employed a tactical approach, easing off late in the stage to secure a better starting position for the next day. This strategy paid off as Nacho finished 5th in Stage 11, heading into the final stage with a strong overall position.
Finishing the rally in Stage 12
In the final stage, riders started with a motocross-style start divided into groups of 15. Nacho finished the stage in 14th place, 2min 28sec behind the leader. In the overall standings, he finished in 7th just over 58 minutes behind.
From the early promise with Ross Branch’s podium finishes to Nacho Cornejo’s remarkable solo run, Hero MotoSports showcased their resilience in the face of adversity. As the 2025 Dakar Rally draws to a close, the riders’ journey showcases how tough the Dakar Rally is and the kind of determination and team effort it takes to challenge for the trophy.
