Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp concluded a fierce week of racing at the 2026 Desafio Ruta 40 with strong top-10 placements in the final standings. Showcasing incredible resilience across Argentina’s spectacular yet treacherous landscapes, Ross Branch secured a stellar 9th overall finish for the Hero MotoCorp factory team, while teammate Nacho Cornejo pushed through a demanding week to claim 9th in the elite Rally GP category.
From the opening kilometers in San Juan through the dunes of Nihuil, vast dry riverbeds, salt flats, and the high-altitude crossings of the Andes mountains, this year’s event presented competitors with a diverse mix of conditions that tested speed, adaptability, technical skill, and determination. Throughout the rally, Ross Branch and Nacho Cornejo faced changing terrain, extreme temperatures, long competitive distances, and demanding stages that continually challenged both riders and machinery.
The final stage set near San Juan for one last test, featuring a fast and varied route where maintaining focus remained essential despite the shorter distance. After a week of intense competition, the closing kilometers provided a final opportunity for riders to maximise their results before reaching the finish of Argentina’s premier rally-raid event. For Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the rally concluded with Ross Branch securing 9th overall and 8th Rally GP after a determined week of racing that saw the Motswana rider steadily improve his pace and confidence as the event progressed. Despite several setbacks during the opening stages, Branch continued to fight back throughout the rally, highlighted by a strong performance during the queen Stage 4. His consistency and resilience throughout the week allowed him to maintain a place inside the overall top ten at the finish.
Nacho Cornejo completed his home South American rally in 13th overall and 9th Rally GP after a challenging week in which the Chilean rider showed determination and professionalism despite not finding the rhythm and pace he was searching for. Cornejo continued to push throughout the event, delivering several clean stages and never losing sight of the objective to improve day by day. While the final result falls short of both his and the team’s expectations, his commitment and effort remained evident until the final kilometers of the rally.
The event also marked the first rally appearance for Michael Docherty in Hero MotoSports Team Rally colours. Although his rally ended prematurely following his Stage 1 crash, the South African showed encouraging speed and competitiveness before his retirement and leaves Argentina with valuable experience gained as part of the factory squad.
As the team leaves San Juan, valuable lessons, data, and momentum have been gathered from a demanding week of competition. Hero MotoSports Team Rally now turns its attention towards the next challenges on the international rally-raid calendar with a clear focus on continuing to build performance and return stronger at future events.
Past the finish line, the Desafío Ruta 40 was a major commercial triumph for Hero MotoCorp in Latin America. Embraced by Argentina’s famously passionate racing community, the team energized a network of regional distributors, partners, media, and fans. As Hero MotoCorp drives its international expansion forward, events of this caliber do more than test machinery—they anchor the brand’s global racing legacy into key markets and prove Hero’s unwavering commitment to the sport.
STAGE 5 PERFORMANCE UPDATE
The final stage of the 2026 Desafío Ruta 40 proved to be a challenging day for Hero MotoSports Team Rally. Ross Branch suffered an exhaust issue after an impact while crossing a river during the special, forcing him to stop multiple times throughout the stage before eventually completing the route without the exhaust silencer. The issue cost valuable time and resulted in Branch finishing 16th overall on the stage, although he was still able to secure 9th overall for the rally. While pleased to reach the finish healthy, the result falls short of the expectations Branch and the team had heading into the event, with the focus now shifting towards finding further performance and closing the gap to the front runners.
Nacho Cornejo completed the final stage in 12th position but endured another difficult day as he continued to search for the rhythm and confidence required to perform at his usual level. Despite his commitment throughout the week, the Chilean rider never fully found the feeling he was looking for aboard the bike and leaves Argentina disappointed with his overall performance. With the rally now complete, the focus turns towards identifying solutions during the upcoming break and returning stronger for the remainder of the season.
Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « Desafío Ruta 40 has once again provided a demanding week of competition and valuable lessons for the entire team. Unfortunately, Michael’s rally came to an end much earlier than anyone would have liked following his crash on Stage 1. Before that, he had shown encouraging speed and competitiveness, which makes the outcome even more disappointing. The positive is that his injuries are not as serious as they could have been, and we look forward to welcoming him back on the bike as soon as he is fully recovered.
« Argentina is always a special event for our team. The passion for rally-raid throughout the country is incredible, and it is always valuable for Hero MotoCorp to connect with our partners, media, distributors, and fans across the Latin American region. From a sporting perspective, we are not completely satisfied with the results. Ross showed strong potential throughout the week but lacked the consistency required to challenge where we believe he can be, while Nacho struggled to find the confidence and feeling needed to perform at his usual level. On the positive side, the team and machinery performed optimally throughout the rally, providing a strong technical foundation. We already have testing planned in the coming months, and our objective is clear: continue improving, build greater consistency, and return stronger at the next events. »
Ross Branch, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « It’s been another incredible week of rally racing here in Argentina. We’ve raced through some truly spectacular terrain, and I’m grateful for every kilometer. The result isn’t exactly where we want to be, but I’m happy with the progress we made through the rally.
« A huge thank you to the fans who came out to support us throughout the week, to the entire Hero MotoSports Team Rally crew, and to everyone at Hero MotoCorp who continues to support us. There is still work to do and we know we can be better, but we leave here motivated and focused on finishing the season on a high. »
Nacho Cornejo, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « I’m disappointed with the result because it isn’t where I expect to be and it isn’t where this team deserves to be. Throughout the week I struggled to find the flow and feeling on the bike that I needed to ride at the level I know I’m capable of. We kept working every day to improve, but it was a struggle.Everyone in the team continued to give one hundred percent from the first day to the last, and for this I am very thankful. The effort, commitment, and support around me has been incredible, and I want to thank every member of Hero MotoSports Team Rally for that. Now it’s back to work, and we will do everything possible to come back stronger and get ourselves back where we need to be. »
Michael Docherty, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: « This rally definitely didn’t end the way I wanted it to. After such a positive start with the team, it was frustrating to have my race come to an end so early, especially because I felt we had the pace to achieve something special. At the same time, that’s part of rally racing and now the focus is on recovering properly and getting back to full fitness as quickly as possible.
« Even though I wasn’t able to continue competing, I wanted to stay here and support the team for the remainder of the event. I’ve learned a lot during my first rally with Hero MotoSports Team Rally and the support I’ve received from everyone involved is key to future success. I’m determined to get back on the bike soon and show what we are capable of together. »
RESULTS
Stage 5 Rankings
1. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Racing Team, 02h 40m 19s
2. Ricky Brabec, Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 00m 50s
3. Tosha Schareina, Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 01m 49s…
13. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 12m 36s…
16. Ross Branch, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 14m 29s
Overall Rankings – After Stage 5
1. Daniel Sanders, Redbull KTM Racing Team, 15h 58m 04s
2. Tosha Schareina, Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 12m 09s
3. Ricky Brabec, Monster Energy Honda HRC, + 18m 04s…
9. Ross Branch, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 55m 58s…
13. Nacho Cornejo, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, + 01h 21m 34s…