– Nacho secures 11th place overall
Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, has successfully completed its campaign at the Ultimate BP Rally Raid Portugal, the fourth round of the 2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).
After five demanding Stages spread across Portugal and Spain, team riders Nacho Cornejo and Tobias Ebster crossed the finish line in the 11th and 42nd overall positions, respectively. Competing in the Rally2 category, Tobias also claimed the 25th place in his class. FIM World Rally-Raid Champion of 2024 – Ross Branch – made a strong start in this rally, but was forced to retire after an unfortunate crash in Stage 2.
In the last and final Stage on Sunday, Ebster clocked the 9th fastest time of the day – just under two minutes behind the Stage winner – also claiming the 4th place in the Rally2 category. Cornejo rode well to wrap up the last Stage with a 19th place finish. The final decisive Stage was a 287 km loop through the Portugese forests around its capital city – Lisbon.
Nacho Cornejo faced some trouble adjusting with the Portugese terrain in the early Stages of the rally; however, his determined ride until the last kilometer extends his reputation as a highly reliable and dependable rider in the team. The Chilean’s trademark consistency continues to pay off – with 44 points, he maintains his standing at 7th place in the 2025 World Championship standings.
Across the week, Ebster registered Top-10 finishes in three Stages, proving his raw speed and resolve. Unfortunately, a mechanical issue in Stage 2, and a penalty in Stage 3 cost him crucial time – pushing him down the rankings table. Entering Portugal as the Rally2 Championship leader, the Austrian now sits 3rd in the standings with 67 points. He remains confident of closing the season on a high, and is in contention for the title.
The rally culminated on Sunday on the grand podium at the Monument to the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos) – a fitting tribute to Portugal’s legendary navigators. For Lisbon, once the starting point of the Dakar Rally between 2006 and 2008, hosting the W2RC finish marked a historic homecoming, celebrated by massive crowds.
Though only in its second edition, Rally Raid Portugal has already cemented its place as one of the most versatile and technically demanding events on the W2RC calendar. The championship’s only European round – and its first and only cross-border race – delivered nearly 2,400 km of competition, including more than 1,400 km against the clock, a 40% increase from its debut year. From sandy trails and rocky ascents to fast dirt tracks and twisting technical sections, the route offered a complete showcase of rally-raid challenges across the diverse Mediterranean landscapes of Portugal and Spain.
With Rally Raid Portugal now complete, Hero MotoSports shifts its focus to the season finale – the Rallye du Maroc, set in the iconic sands of Morocco, over October 10-17. Although the results in Portugal fell short of expectations despite best efforts, Team Hero sees Morocco as the ultimate test and a vital preparation ground ahead of Dakar Rally 2026. The squad is determined to deliver a strong performance in Morocco to finish the season well, and carry valuable momentum into the World’s toughest rally.
Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « Portugal didn’t bring the results we were aiming for, despite all the hard work on the bike and in training. But that’s racing – things don’t always go as planned. The good news is Ross is okay after his crash and will be back stronger in Morocco, while Tobias still has a good chance to claim the Rally2 title. We will go all in to be fully prepared for Morocco, finish the season on a high, and shift our focus to Dakar 2026. Congratulations as well to Daniel Sanders, the new World Champion 2025, as we hand over the #1 plate from Ross to him. »
Nacho Cornejo, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « We’re done with Rally Raid Portugal. It was a fun last stage with great grip, but not the result we were aiming for. I feel bad for the whole team, because they’ve been working so hard on the bike and everyone did a really good job. Unfortunately, I couldn’t deliver the performance I wanted, but we’ll turn the page quickly. Morocco is coming soon, and we will give our best to finish the year strong. Thank you to everyone for the support. »
Tobias Ebster, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « This is it – Portugal Rally is over. Yesterday’s rain gave us great traction today, and it felt like 100 km of motocross racing through the forests of Portugal. The atmosphere was amazing with so many fans out there – thank you all for the motivation and support. It was a pleasure to ride here, and now I’m definitely ready for Morocco. »
Stage 05 – Provisional Rankings
1. Luciano Benavides, Redbull KTM Racing Team, 59m 53s
2. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 00m 10s
3. Edgar Canet, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 00m 10s
9. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 01m 49s
19. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 04m 50s
Overall Provisional Rankings after Stage 05
1. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Racing Team, 12h 39m 39m
2. Tosha Schareina, Monster Energy Honda Team, + 03m 40s
3. Luciano Benavides, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 12m 41s
11. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 53m 57s
42. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 23h 29m 09s
Stage 05 – Provisional Rankings (Rally2 Class)
1. Edgar Canet, Redbull KTM Racing Team, + 01h 00m 03s
2. Bruno Santos, BS Frutas Patricia Pilar, + 00m 29s
3. Martim Ventura, Honda HRC, + 01m 38s
4. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 01m 39s
Overall Provisional Rankings after Stage 05 (Rally2 Class)
1. Edgar Canet, Redbull KTM Racing Team, 13h 01m 36s
2. Bruno Santos, BS Frutas Patricia Pilar, + 05m 21s
3. Michael Docherty, BAS World KTM Team, + 10m 22s
25. Tobias Ebster, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 23h 07m 12s