Hero MotoSports Announces 2023 Dakar Rally Rider Line-Up
- Hero MotoSport Rally to field four riders
- Joaquim Rodrigues return to the rally for seventh time
- Buhler and Caimi return after missing the 2022 edition with injuries
Hero MotorSports, the factory rally team of Hero MotoCorp has announced its rider line-up for the 2023 Dakar Rally. Long-time Hero rider Joaquim Rodrigues returns for the 2023 edition having previously competing in the rally six times. Sebastian Buhler and Franco Caimi make a return to the 2023 edition of the rally having had to sit the 2022 rally out following an injuries.
Joining the three rides is Ross Branch who signed for the team earlier this year with the 2023 rally being his first Dakar outing with Hero. The rally will also be Caimi’s first Dakar outing with the hero factory team.
A notable figure missing from the team is veteran Indian rider CS Santosh who parted ways with Hero MotoCorp a few weeks ago.
Rodrigues is the veteran of the factory team having joined Hero MotorSports Team Rally at its inception in 2016. His last outing in 2022 saw the rider bag his maiden win in one of the race stages while also placing P3 in another. Caimi will be making his fifth appearance at Dakar while Buhler returns to the rally for the third time with Hero MotorSport.
Branch meanwhile has competed in the rally since 2019 and also placed first in a stage in the 2020 edition.
The riders will all be using the Hero 450 Rally bike upgraded to meet the latest regulations and featuring a new 160 kmph top speed.
The 2023 Dakar rally returns to Saudi Arabia for the fourth consecutive year with the 15 day rally spread across 14 stages – two more than the previous edition. The rally will kick off in Jeddah on December 31 with participants racing their way to Ha’il before heading south-east into the empty quarter before turning north to finish at Dammam on January 15. The participants will traverse over 8,600 km in the gruelling rally with riders only getting a rest day after the eight stages.
Related News
Latest Cars
Upcoming Cars
Latest News
Jafar Rizvi | Feb 7, 2026Nissan Gravite Interior Spotted Ahead Of February 17 DebutThe Gravite’s interior appears to carry over the familiar layout from the pre-facelift Renault Triber, with only minor updates expected.2 mins read
car&bike Team | Feb 7, 2026Jawa 730 Twin UnveiledJawa Moto has introduced the 730 Twin, the fourth model in its lineup to be based on the 750 platform.2 mins read
car&bike Team | Feb 6, 2026Indian Motorcycle Parts Ways With PolarisAs America’s first motorcycle brand prepares to celebrate its 125th anniversary, Indian Motorcycle has parted ways with former parent Polaris to become an independent company.1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 6, 2026BMW F 450 GS Based Sportbike Spotted On TestThe upcoming supersport machine is expected share the same parallel-twin engine with the upcoming BMW F 450 GS.1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 6, 2026Tata Sierra Bookings Cross 1 Lakh Mark; Production Ramped UpWith bookings now in six-digit territory, Tata Motors is moving ahead with a phased ramp-up in production, while working through supplier-related constraints.1 min read
car&bike Team | Feb 6, 2026Mahindra To Set Up Its Biggest Automobile Plant In Nagpur; Production To Begin In 2028The new facility will support next-generation platforms from the brand and will be capable of manufacturing multiple powertrains including ICE, EV & future technologies1 min read
Bilal Firfiray | Feb 4, 2026Volkswagen Tayron R-Line Review: Sensible Flagship For IndiaVolkswagen has introduced a made-in-India flagship SUV that offers space, comfort, performance, and German driving finesse in a practical three-row package. But is the Tayron R-Line good enough?6 mins read
Preetam Bora | Feb 2, 2026TVS NTorq 150 Road Test Review: Bigger, Better & More Efficient!We test the new TVS NTorq 150 out in the real world to get a sense of what it offers in terms of performance, dynamics and fuel economy.7 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Jan 21, 2026Tata Punch Facelift Review: New Turbo Engine; Same Old SoulWith the update, the Tata Punch facelift retains its character of being a healthy runabout, which is perfect for Indian roads. But have these changes made it any better?7 mins read
Amaan Ahmed | Jan 17, 2026Bajaj Chetak C25 First Ride Review: Basic, Likeable E-Scooter For First-Time RidersThe Chetak C25, in quite a few ways, is poles apart from the larger and more powerful 30 and 35 Series models, but in its mannerisms, it is very much a Chetak.8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | Jan 9, 2026Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder: 10,000 km Long-Term ReviewAfter spending over three months and 10,000 km with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder Hybrid, we were impressed by its real-world mileage, seamless hybrid, practical comfort, and Toyota reliability. Is it the best C-SUV then?5 mins read