The 2025 Dakar Rally is poised to deliver another thrilling chapter as it kicks off on January 3 and runs until January 17, traversing the arid expanses of Saudi Arabia for the sixth consecutive year. This year’s edition marks the 47th iteration of the world’s toughest race, which challenges the audacity and tenacity of participants across approximately 7,700 kilometers of rugged terrain.
Competitors from around the globe will be tested like never before, with this year introducing separate courses for the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) vehicles covering 45 percent of the race distance. This evolution aims to minimize risks during this already perilous endeavor. The event will once again begin with a prologue before launching fully with 12 stages, prominently featuring the much-anticipated 48-hour Chrono stage.
Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the only factory Indian team at Dakar, has wasted no time preparing for this competition. The team has announced its formidable three-rider squad: Nacho Cornejo, Sebastian Buhler, and Ross Branch, all set to ride the reliable Hero 450 Rally bikes. Following their remarkable second-place finish at the 2024 Dakar—a historic first for any Indian manufacturer—there's much excitement surrounding their 2025 campaign.
Wolfgang Fischer, the Team Manager of Hero MotoSports, shared his enthusiasm: "2024 has been an incredible year for us, full of milestones and achievements. Finishing second at Dakar—and winning the 2024 World Championship—have bestowed upon us higher expectations and readiness to face the challenges of 2025... We are entering this season with our best squad yet, fine-tuned machines, and the support of our fans around the world. With their belief, we are poised to deliver thrilling performances at Dakar 2025."
This upcoming event is noteworthy not only for its challenging route but also for its increased safety measures, as the return of the 48-hour Chrono stage tests the mettle of competitors. This section demands extreme endurance; drivers must halt their engines at sunset, resting overnight before tackling another grueling day of racing.
With Balancing act during stage eleven, competitors will also engage with the vast Empty Quarter, the second-largest desert globally, renowned for its expansive sand dunes. This year will have distinct races for FIM and FIA classes, intended to optimize safety conditions and improve competition integrity.
Branch is no stranger to success; he is returning to the Dakar for his third race with the team after acing the 2024 limitations. Sebastian Buhler, who narrowly missed his first stage victory last year, is hungry for podium finishes. Meanwhile, the team’s latest addition, Cornejo, is making his debut with Hero, bringing considerable Dakar experience, including four stage wins and best finishes of fourth place back from 2020.
The rally itself promises another action-packed year, extending over 5,100 timed kilometers through the unforgiving Saudi Arabia terrain, pushing these athletes to the edge of their abilities.
Fans around the world can look forward to extensive media coverage, with various channels set to broadcast the events live. RTVE will deliver nightly broadcasts detailing the stages, alongside coverage from ESPN and other networks across Latin America and Europe. Notably, the daily show will contain competitive standings, interviews with riders, and recap reports.
This year promises to be revolutionary, with the event on track to offer exciting moments, unforeseen challenges, and perhaps unexpected leaders as competitors race across landscapes marked by both history and hardship—an arrival suitable for one of the most intense motorsport events on the planet.
The 2025 Dakar Rally is not just about speed; it’s about skill, strategy, and survival as riders and teams gear up ready to conquer what is expected to be yet another installment of heart-pounding racing.
