Spanish rider Joan Barreda Bort has been announced as Hero MotoSports’ latest signing ahead of the 2024 Dakar Rally in January. The Indian squad has also announced its complete Dakar rider line-up.
- Bort has scored 30 Dakar stage wins so far
- Hero gets Monster Energy backing
Hero signs Joan Barreda Bort
Bort is well-known in the rally-raid scene. He’s a five-time winner of the Spanish Baja and has also won the Merzouga and Andalucia rallies, among others. In his 13 consecutive Dakar Rally appearances, he’s scored 30 stage wins – the highest tally for any active competitor in the Bikes category, so far.
His last 10 Dakar outings were with Honda and his best result at the fabled rally has been a pair of fifth places finishes (in 2017 and 2022).
Hero also recently announced a new partnership with energy drink giant, Monster Energy. An official statement released by the team says, “We are super pumped and proud to team up with Monster Energy. It's a brand-new chapter for us, and we're beyond excited to rev up the adventure together. This partnership symbolises our commitment to pushing the boundaries, taking on bigger challenges, and racing the limits.”
Hero MotoSports Dakar 2024 rider line-up
Bort’s first outing with Hero MotoSports will be at the upcoming 2024 Dakar Rally, which will be held from January 5-19. He’ll be joining Hero stalwart Joaquim Rodrigues, who has been with the team since its inception in 2016.
Ross Branch and Sebastian Buhler also stay on with the team, forming a four-rider squad for Dakar 2024. After two years with the team, Franco Caimi (who finished 10th in this year’s Dakar Rally) parted ways with Hero MotoSports earlier this year.
Last month, both Branch and Buhler finished in the top 10 at the 2023 Rallye Du Maroc. Branch even picked up a stage win and a podium. He finished fourth overall, missing out on the podium by just 1.5 minutes. Buhler faced a few technical glitches, but his consistent performance earned him a ninth place result. The rally was also the final round of the 2023 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship. Branch’s performance saw him finish fourth in the championship.
Also see:
Al-Attiyah, Benavides win Dakar 2023
Feature: Behind the scenes of Audi’s Dakar 2023 charge