Sports India Show got in touch with long time Hero Motosports team leader Jordi Grau. Around the bullpen lads call him uncle Jordi and after the recent Dakar campaign he is a happy man.
In our conversation, he talks about how the world perceives Hero Moto as a big business house. But the Hero Motosports racing team is the opposite of that. He said, “Hero Motosports, its a small team, like a family. Now for everyone, Hero also has big, big business factory.”
Even with his hectic schedule of multiple flights and long layovers Jordi was happy to talk about the team’s campaign. He said, “And in this Dakar, fighting with all the contender groups and (we were) fighting for the top 10. And its possible to fight to stay in front. We know its possible with the Dakar, but with patience its made a good race in Dakar. Sometimes you need luck, sometimes you need a correct rider.”
View this post on Instagram
After that, he went into details about the few mishaps that happened during the gruesome 5000 KM rally raid. Ross was the only Hero rider who finished the rally.
“And since there is the very bad third day- one rider out, sixth day- another rider out, and everything is on one rider. We’re happy because the team worked very hard for the last seven days”
Ross Branch, who spearheaded Hero’s campaign was recently felicitated by the company’s boss Pawan Munjal in a grand event. Read More
Hero Motosports is set for the World Rally Raid Championship
Jordi reveals that Hero and Branch are now preparing to fight for the W2RC title and the team is all set behind him. Branch currently sits at the 2nd spot in the World Rally Raid Championship and is set to race in Abu Dhabi.
“Yes, for sure its possible, Ross (Branch) fighting to win the race. For riders, being in the top five, and its possible with different strategies, to win.
Yes. Now’s he’s riding for the championship and now its different terrain- Abu Dhabi, you know its good for us, then Portugal, and son son . So year, its possible.”
He added, “now we are headed to the site with the team, with the team manager, which is going on for the return back but in Abu Dhabi we only have two riders. This was planned before Dakar, and now its being put to action in person- all the slips, all the papers, all the riding peripherals, all the tires and stuff.”
Barreda to focus on Dakar
Talking about the former long time Honda rider, Joan Barreda (he joined the Hero Motosports factory team in 2023), he said, “I hope Joan Barreda doesn’t continue to ride (in other rally raid events)… but put all the focus on only one race in this race that is Dakar.”
