Hero MotoSports Team Rally has successfully completed the fourth and penultimate stage at the South African Safari Rally 2025 – the third round of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) 2025. Tobias Ebster continued his promising debut with the team by crossing the finish line with the 7th fastest time overall in today’s stage.
Riding in the premier Rally GP class, Ross Branch and Nacho Cornejo also delivered solid runs, finishing 9th and 10th fastest for the day respectively. Meanwhile, competing in the Rally 2 class, Ebster bagged a strong 2nd place finish, keeping the pressure on his class rivals.
South African Safari Rally 2025: Stage four
After the end of four intense stages, Nacho Cornejo and Tobias Ebster have secured spots inside the overall top-10 — currently sitting in 7th and 9th positions respectively, while Ross Branch follows in at 13th. The young Austrian talent, Ebster is also holding an impressive 2nd place in the overall Rally 2 standings and is determined to finish his debut rally with the team on a high note.
Branch, the reigning World Champion had a long but enjoyable Stage 4. Despite an early small mistake in the morning, he stayed close to his competitors and pushed through tough, dusty terrain near the Botswana border – not far from his home. Nacho Cornejo, the team’s Chilean ace, has maintained a commendable streak of consistent performances throughout the rally.
However, he wasn’t entirely satisfied with his outing today and is aiming to bounce back with a stronger result in the final stage, hoping to end the rally on a positive note. Tobias Ebster, meanwhile, came out swinging with an electrifying pace in Stage 4. He led the Rally 2 class towards the start of the day before narrowly slipping to second, just under two minutes behind the class leader.
Stage 4 of the rally turned up the intensity with the longest and most demanding route of the event — a grueling 693 kilometers in total, including a 224-kilometer timed special. The day’s route, centered around Skilpadshek, began with rapid dirt tracks cutting through the bush before transitioning into rugged, rocky mountain terrain.
A true test of endurance, it pushed both riders and machines to their absolute limits. The stage offered a unique visual treat as competitors raced close to the Botswana border, near Lobatse Cape with views of Gaborone — just 100 meters away at points. Being near Ross’s home country, the route drew massive crowds of fans and spectators along the course, adding to the vibrant atmosphere.
The rally wraps up tomorrow with the fifth and final stage in Sun City. Spanning 216 kilometers in total, including 118 kilometers of timed special, the stage promises no respite. Featuring a mix of hard-packed cotton soil — notoriously slick when wet — river crossings, and loose gravel sections, it will demand razor-sharp focus and precision.
