Hero Motosports team rally complete Andalucia rally with strong result
Oct 24, 2022
Andalucia [Spain], October 24 : Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters - Hero MotoCorp, completed the Andalucia Rally 2022, as well as the inaugural edition of the World Rally Raid Championship, also called the W2RC, with all four riders finishing amongst the top 15 positions.
The Rally also brought to a close 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.
Joaquim Rodrigues maintained a strong pace, to complete in the 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 the 12th position, while Franco Caimi completed the stage in the 14th place.
In the Overall RallyGP standings, Ross completed the rally in 7th place, with Joaquim less than 2 minutes behind in 9th while Sebastian and Franco finished in the 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 brought this race to completion and 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 race after the Rally was rescheduled 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 the 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, which starts 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 races back-to-back 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."
