Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, successfully completed the Andalucia Rally 2022, as well as the inaugural edition of the World Rally Raid Championship, also called the W2RC.
Franco Caimi was off to a fast start, registering the 4th fastest time early in the stage, but then slowed his pace to bring the bike to the finish, completing the stage in 14th place.
Joaquim Rodrigues maintained a strong pace, to complete the stage in 8th position. Ross Branch, likewise, carried a good pace through the stage, finishing within a minute of Joaquim, in 9th place.
Sebastian Buhler continued his consistent run in this rally, slotting into 12th position in the Stage rankings.
In the Overall RallyGP standings, Ross has completed the rally in 7th place, with Joaquim less than 2 minutes behind in 9th, while Sebastian and Franco finish in 12th and 13th places respectively.
The relatively short 100kms Stage 4 took the riders around the Province of Cadiz, before a finish by the beach. The tricky stage with sand patches and mountain tracks with boulders also brought a close to the 1st Edition of the W2RC, which consisted of the Dakar Rally 2022, followed by the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Rally du Maroc and the Andalucia Rally. With the completion of this race, the team will now set its sights on the upcoming Dakar Rally 2023, which will also be the first race in the 2023 edition of the World Rally Raid Championship.
Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « Happy to finish this race with all riders healthy. It was short but intense, in a different type of terrain, as is usual with the Andalucia Rally. The weather conditions were poor during the race, but the organizers did their best to run a successful rave after the postponement of the Rally from June to October. The team is now looking forward to get back to the desert for some more training and for the final Dakar preparations. We have a month until the shipping to Saudi Arabia, and with the Dakar Rally also starts a new W2RC 2023 season. Thanks to all team for their great job over the season, we had an exciting time and worked hard for a promising future. »
Joaquim Rodrigues, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « This is another good finish for the team. I am happy to make it to the finish line here after my crash in Morocco. The bike has been running well, and we have finished the Championship. Now we turn our attention to the Dakar Rally, starting in a few months. »
Franco Caimi, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « It was a challenging race for me as I had a few technical issues during the rally. But we have learnt a lot, and it will help us to prepare better for the Dakar Rally. Looking forward to getting to the Dakar in the best shape as well as having the bike and team in the best condition possible. »
Ross Branch, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « Overall, it has been a good rally for me. We have shown that we have the speed to compete with the other teams, and that has helped my confidence. The bike is running well and the team is working hard. This is exactly what we needed for our Dakar preparation. I think we have a great chance to excel at the Dakar rally, and I am looking forward to it. »
Sebastian Buhler, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « We have had two good back to back races with Rally du Maroc and now Andalucia. I have been improving each day and the bike is feeling good. The team has also been working hard, and we will now focus on the Dakar Rally. »
Stage 4 Rankings [RallyGP class]:
1. Adrien Van Beveren, Monster Energy Honda Team, 01h 22m 53s
2. Kevin Benavides, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, + 00m 16s
3. Luciano Benavides, Husqvarna Factory Racing, + 01m 31s
8. Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 02m 46s
9. Ross Branch, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 03m 24s
12. Sebastian Buhler, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 05m 44s
14. Franco Caimi, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 11m 29s
Overall Rankings of the Andalucia Rally 2022 [RallyGP class]:
1. Adrien Van Beveren, Monster Energy Honda Team, 09h 58m 48s
2. Kevin Benavides, Red Bull KTM Factory Racing, + 03m 14s
3. Luciano Benavides, Husqvarna Factory Racing, + 06m 37s
7. Ross Branch, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 19m 38s
9. Joaquim Rodrigues, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 20m 50s
12. Sebastian Buhler, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 45m 37s
13. Franco Caimi, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 01h 04m 02s