Hero MotoSports Team Rally has onboarded promising young talent Tobias Ebster to its international rider line-up, following a highly successful 2024 season. Tobias is set to make his debut race appearance with Hero MotoSports later this month at the South African Safari Rally. This event, making its first appearance on the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) calendar, serves as the third round of the 2025 season. Tobias will line up alongside teammates Ross Branch and Nacho Cornejo for the rally.
Who is Tobias Ebster?
Tobias Ebster, 27, from Zillertal, Austria, is widely recognized as one of rally racing’s most promising rising stars. He entered his first rally just four years ago — the Hellas Rally Raid — after establishing a solid background in motocross and enduro.
His breakthrough came in 2022, when he won the prestigious FIM Bajas World Cup in Dubai. He continued to impress by securing victory in the Rally 2 category at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, outperforming a field of seasoned competitors.
A trained mechanical engineering technician, Tobias has taken on a range of freelance jobs — including landscaper, taxi driver, plumber, pizza delivery rider, and carpenter — to maintain a flexible schedule that supports his intense training and racing commitments.
In his debut Dakar Rally last year — Tobias delivered a remarkable performance. Displaying exceptional grit and endurance, he claimed victory in the gruelling “Original by Motul” category without any assistance and finished an impressive 20th overall, earning the coveted title of Best Rookie.
His determination and talent also secured him a Dakar entry through the “Road to Dakar” program, a dream he pursued and achieved despite significant setbacks. In Dakar 2025, competing once again as a privateer — but this time with assistance — Tobias raised the bar even higher. He finished an astonishing 9th overall, emerging as the top privateer in the field.
Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Tobias Ebster to the Hero MotoSports family! His addition comes at a truly exciting time for us, following our historic World Championship victory led by our star rider Ross Branch. In just over nine years, Hero MotoSports has firmly established itself among the top teams in rally racing, and the arrival of a world-class talent like Tobias – current leader of the Rally2 championship – marks another major milestone in our journey.”
”Tobias already shares a strong bond with several of our riders, and we are excited to see that camaraderie come alive once again under the Hero MotoSports banner. His impressive will to work upwork his career to where he stands now, and true spirit of sportsmanship perfectly align with our team’s values and ambitions.”
“We are confident Tobias will play a significant role in elevating our performance even further this season and beyond. With new energy, renewed determination, and exciting new talent, we look forward to an incredible season ahead!”
