Hero Motosports Team Rally concludes Rally Raid Portugal 2026 with a strong top-10 finish

Importantly, the rally marked a positive step in rebuilding Ross’s rhythm and physical condition following his Dakar injury earlier this year, laying a strong foundation as he now shifts focus to the upcoming desert round in Argentina.

Following Round 2, Ross Branch stands 8th in the 2026 World Championship standings with 23 points, while Nacho Cornejo is 9th with 14 points.

Now in its third edition, Rally Raid Portugal has quickly established itself as one of the most diverse and technically demanding events on the W2RC calendar. As the only European round and the championship’s sole cross-border event, it featured nearly 2,200 km of total distance, including over 1,200 km of timed stages in its 2026 edition.

This year’s rally introduced an updated route extending to the Algarve coast, offering increased variety compared to previous years. Continuing its tradition of rotating host cities for the finish, the rally concluded in Loulé this year, following earlier finishes in Grândola and Lisbon, taking the event further south.

With Rally Raid Portugal complete, Hero MotoSports now turns its attention to Round 3 – Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina, scheduled from May 24 to 29. The team will aim to build on this momentum and deliver a strong performance in the desert terrain as the championship progresses.

Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: “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. The European terrain isn’t his natural comfort zone, but it provided valuable learning. Technically, we’ve made good progress with the bike and received strong feedback, even if results don’t fully reflect it yet. It was unfortunate to lose Nacho early in Stage 2 after the water crossing incident. After a challenging week of mixed weather, it was good to end with some sunshine. Now, we look ahead to Argentina and a return to desert racing. Thanks to all our fans in Portugal, Spain and across the globe for their incredible support.”

Ross Branch, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally: “That’s the end of Rally Portugal, and while I’m happy to wrap it up, it’s been a really enjoyable race. The organisers did a great job putting together a challenging event. It’s not really my kind of terrain, and I didn’t feel completely comfortable throughout the week, but I’m glad to have made it through safely and picked up some valuable championship points. A big thank you to the team at Hero MotoSports for giving me a fantastic machine. Now I’m really looking forward to getting back to desert racing in Argentina in a couple of months.”