– Estber finishes in top-10
Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, has successfully completed the third stage at the Ultimate BP Rally Raid Portugal, the fourth round of the 2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).
Tobias Ebster, who suffered a mechanical issue in the previous Stage, delivered a solid comeback performance – crossing the finish line with the 10th fastest time of the day. Competing in the Rally2 class, the Austrian also claimed an impressive 4th place in his category. His teammate, Nacho Cornejo finished the stage in the 18th position. At the end of Stage 3, Nacho currently holds the 12th position in the overall standings, and remains focused on finishing the rally on a high note.
Tobias posted the 8th fastest time in today’s special stage, but a speeding penalty later pushed him down to 10th place – still a solid result that reflected his strong performance. However, the heavy time penalty incurred on Thursday, when he was unable to finish the stage, has effectively ruled him out of contention in the overall standings. Despite this setback, Tobias remains determined to finish the rally on a positive note and is focused on delivering strong results in the remaining two stages.
Stage 3 was a demanding day for Nacho, who suffered a challenging moment after overshooting a corner, and landing in a deep ditch. With the timely assistance of a fellow competitor, he was able to recover his bike and continue safely to the finish. Though the incident cost him precious minutes, the Chilean remains optimistic of a good finish.
Tobias, too had a challenging, yet solid outing – fighting through heavy dust after overtaking three riders, and running in the wake of two others for the final 30 km. Getting stuck in a rut cost him around 40-50 seconds, but he was able to maintain a steady pace all through the day – a remarkable effort that helped him finish impressively. Coupled with the team’s hard work in rebuilding his bike overnight, the young athlete’s bounce back in Stage 3 has impressed rally fans and participants alike.
Tobias, too had a challenging, yet solid outing – fighting through heavy dust after overtaking three riders, and running in the wake of two others for the final 30 km. Getting stuck in a rut cost him around 40-50 seconds, but he was able to maintain a steady pace all through the day – a remarkable effort that helped him finish impressively. Coupled with the team’s hard work in rebuilding his bike overnight, the young athlete’s bounce back in Stage 3 has impressed rally fans and participants alike.
Stage 3 took the competitors on a 511 km loop around Badajoz, entirely set in the Spanish Extremedura – featuring 308 km of timed special and 203 km of liaison sections. The route between Don Benito and Villafranca de los Barros was a flat-out charge across dirt and gravel – a fast and abrasive stretch reminiscent of Stage 1, designed to let the race machines breathe. The special opened with 130 km of blistering pace before winding through olive groves, only to burst back out into another round of high-speed rhythm. Hidden gates and narrow bridges in the stage made precision just as important as speed.
Looking ahead, Stage 4 will take the rally back across the border into Portugal, marking the third day of racing on Spanish terrain. The stage will cover 528 km in total from Badajoz to Lisbon, of which 274 km will be timed. The bivouac in the Portugese capital will be set up at Docapesca em Pedrouços, located on the banks of Tejo river mouth, where the river meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Nacho Cornejo, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « Stage 3 was a tough one for me. Things were going well until I overshot a corner and ended up in a deep ditch where I could not get the bike out on my own. A big thanks to Alfredo Pellicer for stopping to help me – without him I wouldn’t have made it to the finish. We lost some minutes today, but we are still in the race, and ready to fight in the last two Stages. Thanks to everyone for the support. »
Tobias Ebster, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « It was a good day on the bike despite the dust – I had to pass three riders and ride behind two more for the last 30 km. I also got stuck in a rut once, which cost me about 40-50 seconds, but overall, I had a great feeling on the Stage. A big shoutout to Hero MotoSports crew for getting my bike ready again after yesterday – it was not an easy job. Two more Stages to go, and we’re ready. »
Stage 03 – Provisional Rankings
1. Tosha Schareina, Monster Energy Honda Team, + 03h 13m 51s
2. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 03m 18s
3. Luciano Benavides, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 03m 19s
10. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 10m 12s
18. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 17m 43s
Overall Provisional Rankings after Stage 03
1. Tosha Schareina, Monster Energy Honda Team, + 09h 11m 02s
2. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 01m 42s
3. Luciano Benavides, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 09m 22s
12. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 39m 27s
42. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 23h 18m 22s
Stage 03 – Provisional Rankings (Rally2 Class)
1. Edgar Canet, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 03h 20m 20s
2. Bruno Santos, BS Frutas Patricia Pilar, + 00m 59s
3. Michael Docherty, BAS World KTM Team, + 02m 20s
4. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 03m 43s
Overall Provisional Rankings after Stage 03 (Rally2 Class)
1. Edgar Canet, Redbull KTM Racing Team, 09h 26m 34s
2. Bruno Santos, BS Frutas Patricia Pilar, + 05m 57s
3. Michael Docherty, BAS World KTM Team, + 07m 42s
25. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 23h 02m 50s