Hero MotoSports, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, made a significant impact in the 2024 Portugal Rally Raid, which is the third round of the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) and covers 1000km across Portugal and Spain.
What happened in the Rally
After a strong start, Sebastian Bühler was leading the rally but had to settle for the 2nd place (he received a 4 min penalty in the race). Honda’s Tosha Schareina managed to survive Buhler’s offense and won the rally.
After the 3rd round, Hero sits at the top of the table with Ross Branch retaining his championship lead but with a smaller margin. Honda team had a strong race and scored double podium finish.
Hero Motosports Team at Rally Raid Portugal
The Hero MotoSports team was represented by two riders, Ross Branch and Sebastian Bühler. Ross Branch, who finished second at the Dakar and the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, leads the general classification.
Sebastian Bühler, who has lived much of his life in Portugal, returned to the rally after his crash on the Dakar.
Ahead of the Rally, Ross Branch and Sebastian Bühler expressed their optimistic thoughts to bring out their best at this prestigious event.
“I have never raced in Portugal but it is a pleasure to be in this beautiful country and an event of this level. My congratulations to the organisation. Everything is fantastic and I’m sure it’s going to be a great race. I’m coming on the back of good results in Dakar and Abu Dhabi. I’m looking for my first victory this year, but my priority is to be consistent. The competition is quite even.” – Ross Branch
“It’s great to have a race like this in Portugal. We have the perfect country for this. It’s not like the open desert where navigation is more important. This race will be difficult in other aspects, especially with the rain we have had in the last few days.” – Sebastian Bühler
All you need to know about Rally Raid Portugal
The BP Ultimate Rally-Raid will be part of the W2RC in 2024. The competition, on the Portuguese and Spanish tracks, promises unforgettable moments for cars and motorbikes. From April 2 to 7, the event, organized by the ACP – Automóvel Club de Portugal, will take third place on the 2024 calendar and will be the only stage held in Europe.
The race will cover technical roads, mostly wide, and with varied types of terrain: from the vast sandy beaches of the Alentejo coast to the well-trodden roads of the Ribatejo, not forgetting the rockier roads of the Spanish Extremadura.
The Portugal Rally Raid is the first cross-border round of the W2RC since its launch. It is also the first time that Portugal’s premier Rally featured in the W2RC. This event is significant for Hero MotoSports as it provides an opportunity to defend its lead in the manufacturers’ classification against the five Hondas.
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