Aaron Mare Crowned Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Champion

With a convincing five minute victory in the 2024 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship’s second round, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Monster Energy/Hero Motosports’ Aaron Mare scored his very first WRRC Rally GP class victory and, in the process, gave Monster Energy/Hero Motosports its first-ever WRRC victory AND, for some 1.4 billion people, handed India its very first WRRC win as a country.

In addition, Mare’s teammate, Monster Energy/Hero Motosports’ Ross Branch – the runner-up at last month’s Dakar Rally – placed 4th overall and ADDC and moved past Monster Energy/Honda Team’s Ricky Brabec, the 2024 Dakar Champion, into the overall W2RC championship points lead. And in the Manufacturer’s Title chase, Hero moves into the lead ahead of Honda – another first for the India-based company.

“Five huge accomplishments in one week of racing,” said an elated Joe Parsons with Monster Energy.

For the South African Mare, fellow countryman of Branch, the win at Abu Dhabi was massive. Mare was a fill-in racer for Sebastian Buhler, who was injured at Dakar. So to not only get the opportunity to race the revolutionary Hero 450 Rally, but to win on it, was just an epic weekend in the United Arab Emirates’ Rub’ Al Khali Desert – aka the “Empty Quarter.”

“Super happy to get the overall victory. Can’t thank Team Hero Motosports and Monster Energy enough,” said an elated Mare following his Stage 5 race. “From Waffie (team manager Wolfgang Fischer) to Joe (Parsons), and everyone else that got me here, thank you so much for the opportunity. I think I made the most of it.”

Mare, who was basically there to support Branch, ended up taking the race lead reins when Branch dealt with some mechanical issues on the opening stage.

“To ride alongside Ross Branch, after he just took 2nd at Dakar, I can only learn, grow and keep getting experience from him, can’t ask for much more,” added Mare.

Said Branch: “So we just finished the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Definitely a bittersweet rally. But after the bad luck we had on Day 1, we managed to save some points – which was the main thing for us. We got to the finish line and, yeah, I’m really happy with the couple of stage wins we got out there (Stages 3 & 5) and I had some fun opening (starting 1st in two stages). So yeah, heading into (W2RC Round 2) Portugal on a high – and thanks to everybody that got us here.”

Notes/Quotes:

• Overall on the six-day ADDC event, Mare won two stages (2 & 4) and lead the race for four-straight days before being crowned the Rally GP class champion.
• “We are very happy to be at the finish line as winners of this iconic race,” said Fischer. “It has been a roller coaster week for us.”
• Branch agreed with Fischer: “The rally was up and down. We had an unfortunate problem on Day 1, which put us at the back already. But we just had to get to the finish line, which was important for the World Championship.”
• In addition to Mare’s last-minute substitution for Buhler, Hero Motosports’ bikes were held up at customs, creating even more stress for the team in their aforementioned “roller coaster week.”
• Also, in terms of an “iconic” race, Fischer couldn’t be more correct. The ADDC has been running for some 33 years and is known for its highest safety and organizational standards. This year, in a massive undertaking, the Abu Dhabi Sports Council added a second bivouac – which is basically like building a temporary city – to the ADDC, and rave reviews from the teams.
• Looking ahead to next month’s (April 2-7) BP Ultimate Rally-Raid, Round 3 of WRRC in Portugal, the course will feature a diverse combination of technical roads, to sandy beaches and rocky roads – covering both areas of Portuguese and Spanish tracks.

Up next… Round 3 of the 2024 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship moves to Portugal for the BP Ultimate Rally-Raid, April 2-7.  For more information on WRRC competition, link to: www.worldrallyraidchampionship.com