Hero Motosports Finishes On The Podium In The 1st Stage Of Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2023

Hero Motosports’ rider Ross Branch managed to finish the stage setting the third fastest time of the day. The day was however, not a completely happy one for the team as their second rider Sebastian Buhler suffered a mechanical issue and could not finish the stage. Recently introduced rules mean that the rider cannot restart the race after facing an issue.

Today’s race that started from Al Dhannah city featured a 400 km route out of which 242 km were timed. The route features several dangerous sections that included broken dunes and steep drops with the bright sun. The next stage will take place in the dunes around Qasr Al Sarab. This stage will include a special of around 257 km and around 108 km in liasons, which will again not allow any crew assistance for the drivers.

Speaking about this stage of the ADDC, Ross Branch who achieved a podium said “Stage 1 is over and done with, and I had a good day. It was a bit difficult in the morning as I wasn’t sure if I was riding fast or slow. Fortunately, I had a good pace going, the bike was performing really well, and I really enjoyed riding the dunes. Looking forward to a good start in the next stage.”

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Sebastian Buhler after his failing to finish the race said “The first stage was going very well for me, and I was enjoying a lot on my bike. At around 100 kms I had a mechanical problem, and had to wait a lot of time for the assistance to arrive and take the bike out. With the new rule, I cannot start the next stage. It's sad, but this is racing and anything can happen. I look forward to the next race, and I thank the team for all their good work.”