Hero MotoCorp announced that they will have CS Santosh riding for them in Dakar 2017 on board a Speedbrain 450 Rally Bike. The team has been called the ‘Hero MotoSports Team Rally’.
Hero MotoCorp have formed a strategic partnership with Speedbrain GmbH of Germany for rally racing. Speedbrain is a German off-road racing specialist. The Hero MotoSports Team Rally will first participate in the Merzouga Rally in Morocco between May 21st to 27th 2016. The Merzouga Rally is a Dakar series race.
The team will be riding on the upgraded version of the Speedbrain 450 rally bike. This will be the first of many international rallies in preparation for Dakar 2017. Partnering CS Santosh will be Portuguese rider Joaquim Rodrigues. Santosh has participated previously in the Dakar Rally, first onboard a KTM and then a Suzuki. His teammate on the other hand is a rookie in the world of rallying, but has won races in Motocross, Supercross and Enduro. The 34 year old Portuguese and successful Indian rider would make a good combination for the new team that has been formed. Speedbrain brings experience in this field having raced at the top since 2006.
The Hero MotoSports Team Rally will be under the direct supervision of Dr. Markus Braunsperger, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Hero MotoCorp, and will work in close collaboration with his team at the Hero Centre of Innovation and Technology. The Hero MotoSports Team Rally will also assist in development and testing of new Hero vehicles concepts, using the data collected from the races.
Mr. Pawan Munjal, Chairman, MD and CEO, Hero MotoCorp Ltd., said, “In the recent past, we have rapidly expanded our global footprint and also made significant investments in enhancing our R&D capabilities. Motorsport is a natural progression for us, as it will allow us to bring value-added products with top-of-the-line technology for our millions of customers. This initiative is also reflective of our consistent support to sports and sportspersons. I welcome Santosh and Joaquim on board and wish them all the very best.”
Dr. Markus Braunsperger, Chief Technology Officer, Hero MotoCorp Ltd., said, “Hero products are known for their robustness, reliability and quality. It is, therefore, a logical step for us to engage in International Rally Sports – which is the ultimate proving ground for any product and its components. In Speedbrain we have a very professional and technologically capable partner and we look forward to a fruitful journey together.”
Mr. Wolfgang Fischer, Managing Director, Speedbrain GmbH, said, “After several successful years in the rally raid sport, collecting tons of experience and creating a very specialised, motivated and loyal race team and the conceptual skills on how to build an efficient and competitive bike, we are more than happy to form a new, strategic partnership with Hero MotoCorp, to realise our common vision for the future.”
xBhp wishes CS Santosh and Hero MotoCorp luck for this interesting venture.
