Leading Indian two-wheeler
manufacturer Hero MotoCorp Ltd (HMCL) has formed a strategic partnership with Speedbrain
GmbH, the German off-road racing specialist. The newly formed ‘Hero MotoSports
Team Rally’ will make its debut at the Merzouga Rally in Morocco later this
month, a Dakar series race.
The team will be riding on the
upgraded version of the successful Speedbrain 450 rally bike. The Merzouga
Rally will be held from May 21 to 27 2016. The Hero MotoSports Team Rally will
also participate in international rallies across the globe, leading up to the
Dakar rally 2017.
Flying the new colours will be
the riders CS Santosh and Joaquim Rodrigues. Santosh, the off-road motorcycle
star from India, has participated in several international rally events and is
poised to make a mark in the global racing arena. His teammate ‘J-Rod’ from
Portugal is a rookie in rally sport. However, being a former Motocross and
Supercross factory pilot, he is extremely professional with strong
determination to prove his talent. The team will be headed by Wolfgang Fischer,
Managing Director, Speedbrain.
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.
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. Braunsperger 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.”
Wolfgang Fischersaid, “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.”
Zayn Khan, President,
Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI), said, “It is double delight
for Indian motorsport with an Indian motorcycle giant entering global
motorcycle racing with an Indian rider on the team. It is also a reflection of
the growing interest for motorsport in the country when more and more Indian
car/motorcycle manufacturers enter the motorsport arena, as we have seen over
the past few years. We wish Hero MotoSports Team Rally all success.”
Source: Hero MotoCorp Ltd.