Hero MotoSports Rally Team Earns 7th-Place Finish at Rally Raid Portugal 2026
Ross Branch of Hero MotoSports Team Rally achieved 7th place overall in the Rally Raid Portugal 2026, earning valuable championship points despite challenging European terrain.
7th
23
13th
What Happened
After five demanding stages across Portugal and Spain, Ross Branch secured 7th place overall. Teammate Nacho Cornejo showed strong early pace but retired after a mechanical issue from a deep water crossing in Stage 2. In the final stage, Branch clocked the 13th fastest time on a 291 km loop around Loulé, including 101 km of timed specials. The rally featured nearly 2,200 km total distance with over 1,200 km of timed stages.
7thoverall
After Stage 5, Branch is 8th in the World Championship standings with 23 points.
“Overall, it was a positive week for Hero MotoSports. Ross had a scare in the final mountain stage but recovered well to finish safely, which was important as this rally helped him rebuild rhythm and physical condition after his Dakar injury.”
Why this matters
The rally helped rebuild Branch's rhythm and physical condition after his Dakar injury, and the team gains momentum for the upcoming desert round in Argentina.
Terms in This Story
- W2RC
- World Rally-Raid Championship, the global series for cross-country rally racing.
- Liaison
- Non-competitive driving sections between timed special stages.
- Timed special
- A competitive section of a rally against the clock.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.