Hero MotoSports begins well with all-3 riders in top-6

Yas Marina, 5 March 2022: Hero MotoSports Team Rally’s Franco Caimi led the Indian team’s challenge taking a creditable fourth place followed by his teammates in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (ADDC) 2022, the second round of the FIA-FIM World Rally-Raid Championship  here on Saturday.

Following the Dakar Rally earlier this year with a first-ever Dakar stage win, the team is back in action with renewed focus.

At Abu Dhabi, the team is represented by riders Joaquim Rodrigues and Franco Caimi, with Ross Branch becoming the third rider. Competing in the Rally GP class, the three riders Caimi, Branch and JRod finished the Prologue stage in the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th positions respectively, making a dominant entry into the five-day race.

After completing the administrative checks and technical scrutiny on March 4, the riders took to the start line for the Prologue on Saturday. A short 2-km sprint, starting from the Yas Marina Circuit, determined the start order for Stage 1.

ADDC 2022 is also the debut race for Ross Branch a.k.a the Kalahari Ferrari, in Hero MotoSports colors. A well-known top talent in the Rally-Raid circuits, Branch is expected to enhance the overall outlook, performance, and competitiveness of the 6-year-old young team. JRod, who won a stage at the Dakar Rally 2022 is currently at his peak performance, and Franco Caimi makes a comeback after his unfortunate injury from before the Dakar.

The first official stage of the ADDC 2022 is due on Sunday and this will take the riders on a 262-km special in the sands of Arabia.  The team will start from the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, and end the day in the desert, at Hameem-Qasr Al Sarab.

Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally:

“We are back again at Abu Dhabi, not long after the race here in last November. ADDC is now the second race of the year according to the calendar of the new World Rally-Raid Championship. We had a very productive week here in training and preparations with our three riders – Franco Caimi, Joaquim Rodrigues, and the new entry to the team, Ross Branch. The presence of Ross with us reinforces our position as a top rally team. We’re also much happy about Franco’s recovery and return to the team. We are still waiting for Sebastian Buhler to recover completely from his crash at ADDC last year.

All the big names in the Rally GP class and the big teams are here at the start of ADDC, and we’re eager to get on the track for this exciting race. Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge is also the only race in the world that feature 100% sand and dunes. I hope we will have a good end to the race, and finish safe and healthy. We are privileged and glad that we can enjoy the sport we dearly love. Our thoughts go out to people in other parts of the world who are going through brutally difficult times, and we wish things will get better soon.”

Joaquim Rodrigues:

“The prologue here at Abu Dhabi was short, but a good start to the testing conditions that start tomorrow. We have been working hard, the bikes are running well, and I am feeling good. So, looking forward to a good rally.”

Franco Caimi:

“I’m super happy to be back with the team and racing once again. The prologue today was fun, and I really enjoyed being back on my Hero Rally 450. It was definitely a good first contact before the show that starts tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the race.”

Ross Branch:

“It was really fun to be back on the track today! It was just 2 kms so it wasn’t long enough to make good time, but I still enjoyed it and felt great to ride my new bike. I am really excited to be a part of Hero MotoSports Team Rally, and am very happy to have started my first race with the team. I think we have prepared well, and I can’t wait for stage 1!

Provisional Rankings – Qualifying Stage (Rally GP Class)

1.           Matthias Walkner                     Red Bull KTM Factory Team                 20m 16s

2.           Toby Price                                   Red Bull KTM Factory Team                 + 8s

3.           Kevin Benavides                        Red Bull KTM Factory Team                 + 40s

4.           Franco Caimi                            Hero MotoSports Team Rally   + 40s

5.           Ross Branch                              Hero MotoSports Team Rally   + 40s

6.           Joaquim Rodrigues               Hero MotoSports Team Rally   + 48s