– Bad luck for Ross, top-ten for Nacho and Tobias
Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, has concluded the second stage at the South African Safari Rally 2025 – the third round of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) 2025.
Riding in the premier Rally GP class, Nacho Cornejo delivered a strong performance today, crossing the finish line with the 7th fastest time. His teammate and rising talent, Austria’s Tobias Ebster, also turned heads with a solid 10th-place result overall. The Botswanan Hero Ross Branch, fresh off his yesterday’s spectacular Stage 1 victory, endured a challenging day and finished at 29th place overall. Meanwhile, in the Rally 2 Class, Tobias continued to impress with his consistency, securing an impressive 3rd position.
Ross Branch’s Stage 2 turned out to be a test of resilience and sheer determination. Building on the momentum of his yesterday’s Stage 1 victory, he began the day leading the pack. However, misfortune struck early when, around the 14-kilometer mark, a large bird unexpectedly flew out from the mealy fields and collided with his bike, damaging the oil cooler. This unforeseen incident forced him to halt and carry out quick, makeshift repairs to keep the bike running. Despite this significant setback, Branch managed to push through the stage and reach the finish line, albeit after losing considerable time. His late ranking today is a direct result of the time lost during the unplanned stop.
With two stages completed, both Nacho and Tobias remain firmly in contention, sitting 5th and 8th respectively in the overall rankings. Meanwhile, the ‘Kalahari Ferrari’, now in 13th, is determined to claw back time and rejoin the fight at the front as the rally progresses. Tobias, on the other hand, continues to enjoy his commendable 2nd position overall in the Rally 2 standings.
Stage 2, the first leg of the two-day marathon, pushed riders to their limits with cold weather, tricky navigation, and a demanding 620 km to cover – including 352 km timed special — the longest so far in the inaugural South African Safari Rally 2025. The route featured long, high-speed straights riddled with hidden potholes and off-piste sections through the open savanna, testing both focus and precision. With no external assistance at tonight’s remote bivouac, riders are on their own, staying in isolated tents — adding to the test of endurance and self-sufficiency.
Looking ahead, tomorrow’s Stage 3 will serve as the concluding leg of the marathon stage, offering similar terrain with expansive savanna stretches, flowing dirt tracks, and more intricate navigation, as the riders head deeper into South Africa’s hot and arid central regions. With 523 km in total to cover tomorrow – including 253 km of timed special – the coming stage promises yet another demanding test for both man and machine.
Nacho Cornejo, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « We’ve completed the first part of the marathon stage — it was a long and very cold day. I had a couple of crashes, but fortunately, the body’s okay, just a bit sore and nothing major. The bike is in good condition too. Tomorrow, we head into the second leg of the marathon, and we’ll give our best in the final three stages. »
Tobias Ebster, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « Marathon Stage 1 is done and we’re currently at the marathon bivouac. The long straights with deep holes hidden in tall grass demanded full attention. As the confidence builds, so does the speed. Overall, I’m happy with my performance today — navigation wasn’t easy, but I had a good day on the bike. »
Ross Branch, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « We’re currently at the marathon bivouac, and it’s been a really tough and unlucky day for us. While riding, a large bird suddenly flew out of the fields and hit the bike, destroying the oil cooler. I had to by-pass the oil cooler and make some repairs to keep going and stay in the race. Thankfully, I managed to cruise to the finish line. We’re still in the race and not giving up. The goal is to get through tomorrow, and hopefully tick off a few more stages. »
Provisional Classification of Stage 2 (Overall):
1. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Factory Racing, 03h 40m 30s
2. Luciano Benavides, Redbull KTM Factory Racing, + 00m 32s
3. Ricky Brabec, Monster Energy Honda Team, + 04m 46s
7. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 13m 14s
10. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 22m 04s
29. Ross Branch, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 01h 35m 37s
Provisional Classification after Stage 2 (Overall):
1. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Factory Racing, 06h 34m 46s
2. Luciano Benavides, Redbull KTM Factory Racing, + 01m 11s
3. Ricky Brabec, Monster Energy Honda Team, + 02m 58s
5. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 18m 20s
8. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 31m 26s
13. Ross Branch, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 01h 32m 53s
Provisional Classification of Stage 2 (Rally2):
1. Edgar Canet, Redbull KTM Factory Racing, + 03h 51m 01s
2. Michael Docherty, BAS World KTM Team, + 06m 14s
3. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 11m 33s
Provisional Classification after Stage 2 (Rally2):
1. Edgar Canet, Redbull KTM Factory Racing, + 06h 54m 21s
2. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 11m 51s
3. Michael Docherty, BAS World KTM Team, + 16m 32s