The 2026 Dakar Rally is officially done and dusted, and Botswana’s Ross Branch has once again delivered a strong, hard-earned result at motorsport’s toughest event, finishing 8th overall after 13 punishing stages across the Arabian Desert.
Branch’s result capped a landmark rally for Hero MotoSports, who celebrated their first-ever double Top-10 finish at Dakar, with teammate Nacho Cornejo securing 7th overall. The achievement came at the end of nearly 8,000 kilometres of racing that tested riders, machines and teams to the limit, featuring two marathon-refuge stages and one of the most competitive RallyGP fields in recent years.
For Branch, the final standings reflected a campaign defined by resilience, composure and experience. Despite tyre issues, time penalties and crashes — including two heavy falls on Stage 9 — the “Kalahari Ferrari” remained inside the overall Top-10 throughout the rally, ultimately sealing eighth place.
Earlier in the event, Branch had underlined his satisfaction with his overall performance despite setbacks.
That consistency carried through to the final stages. On Stage 13, the last test of Dakar 2026, Branch finished 12th, safely bringing the bike home to secure his overall position, while Cornejo placed eighth on the stage. The results closed out the opening round of the 2026 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship, earning Branch 12 championship points.
Physically and mentally, the Botswanan maintained impressive form deep into the rally a crucial factor in surviving Dakar’s closing phases.
That preparation proved vital during the latter stages, including a tough Stage 12, where Branch finished 8th amid technical terrain that made it difficult to find rhythm. Riding smartly, he avoided unnecessary risks and focused on reaching the finish intact as the rally approached its conclusion.
Branch’s eighth-place finish also reflected the strategic lessons learned over his eight Dakar appearances, with restraint often proving more valuable than raw speed.
Beyond individual results, Dakar 2026 marked a technical success for Hero MotoSports. The Hero 450 Rally completed the entire event without a single technical failure, a significant achievement given the rally’s severity. While teammate Tobias Ebster’s Rally2 campaign ended early due to a fractured scaphoid sustained in a Stage 3 crash, the overall performance of the factory team signaled growing strength and reliability.
Although the final standings fell short of podium ambitions, the rally delivered valuable championship points, critical data, and momentum heading into the remainder of the World Rally-Raid Championship season.
For Ross Branch, an 8th-place finish at Dakar 2026 adds another solid chapter to an already remarkable career — one built on discipline, endurance and a relentless ability to finish strong when the desert is at its most unforgiving.
