Dakar secret favorite among bikes? Hero attacks with World Champion Ross Branch

The Hero team can look back on an extremely successful 2024 rally season. First, Ross Branch took second place in the Dakar Rally, breaking Honda’s dominance. For the Indian brand Hero it was the first podium success in this marathon classic. But that was just the starting signal for the next few months for the driver from Botswana.

A month after the Dakar, Branch finished second at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge to take the championship lead. This was followed by fifth places at the Portugal Rally and the Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina.

Branch came to the season finale in Morocco as the World Championship leader. When competitor Ricky Brabec had to retire early after falling off his Honda, one finish was enough for Branch to win the world title. Teammate “Nacho” Cornejo accompanies Branch for the rest of the rally week.

Branch mastered the challenge confidently and became the eleventh world champion since the world motorcycle association FIM announced this title (since 2003). He is also the first world champion from Africa. The Hero team and Branch have shown optimal preparation for the Dakar 2025.

The Hero 450 Rally is developed and built entirely in Germany by Speedbrain. The team has been working with Hero since 2016. Before that, they celebrated numerous successes in the Dakar Rally and in off-road sports as a BMW/Husqvarna team and with Honda.

Now the world title went to Bavaria, more precisely to Stephanskirchen near Rosenheim, where Speedbrain is based. “Ross, our shining star, has brought home our most valuable win – the World Championship,” says Wolfgang Fischer happily.

The team boss continued: “Our journey began exactly eight years ago as a small company, with limited resources but big dreams. I am happy and really proud of what our team has achieved through consistent work and dedication over the years.”

At the Dakar Rally, Ross Branch swaps his number 46 for number 1

Photo: Hero

The next big goal is to win the Dakar. In January, Hero will compete in Saudi Arabia with three drivers. These are world champion Branch, who will wear start number 1, Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo and the German Sebastian Bühler.

The spearhead is of course Branch. “Looking ahead to 2025, I see a bright future for our young team. “This is just the beginning,” the 38-year-old demonstrates with a broad chest. “The world title is one of Hero’s most important steps in the right direction.”

“The Dakar will be really good. But we still have a lot of work to do to get to the top podium.” With only three riders, Hero is a relatively small team. KTM has also shrunk to three riders. Honda has five strong riders in its lineup.

Bühler is the only German in the top class

With Bühler, there is only one German in the top RallyGP class who has a chance of finishing in the top 10. 14th place in 2021 was his best finish so far. Last year, Bühler was eliminated in the third stage due to a fall.

Bühler fractured two vertebrae in this fall, but no surgery was necessary. He won his first stage in the World Cup at the Portugal Rally. Then he broke his collarbone at the Morocco Rally in early October.

2025 will be the German’s sixth Dakar start. It is his fifth in Saudi Arabia. “It’s good that we were able to take part in some rallies in 2024. We made some really good changes with Hero over the summer,” says Bühler.

Sebastian Bühler is about to take part in his sixth Dakar Rally

Photo: Hero

“The bike is quickly completely new and all riders like the changes. The bike is now much better and suits the Dakar very well. My recovery has been going very well since the crash at the Morocco Rally.”

“I think I will come to the Dakar in good shape. My goals will depend on physical condition. If I see that I’m not at my best, I’ll ride to have fun and try to help the team.” “

At the age of 30, Cornejo is already approaching his tenth Dakar start. The Chilean has driven for the Honda team for the past six years. Cornejo is one of the top riders; in the last edition alone he took three stage victories.

In recent years, Cornejo has been one of the contenders for victory. In 2021 he was just a minute off the overall lead until he crashed in the tenth stage. In 2024, technical problems on the last few days cost him a possible podium place.