2025 South African Safari Rally Stage 4: Tobias Ebster shines in tough conditions while Ross Branch and Nacho Cornejo finish strong
Hero MotoSports riders push through Africa’s toughest stage with all three finishing in the top 10; Ebster secures another Rally2 podium
Spanning 694 kilometres in total, with a 224km special, Stage 4 had a constantly evolving route, beginning with high-speed tracks before the terrain tightened into rocky climbs and loose mountain gravel near the Botswana border. Hero MotoSports riders delivered a strong result in Stage 4 of the 2025 South African Safari Rally – the penultimate leg in the rally. All three factory riders, Ross Branch, Jose Ignacio “Nacho” Cornejo, and Tobias Ebster, brought their machines home inside the day’s top 10 after the longest day on the road.
Rally GP
After a mechanical issue early in the rally dropped him down the order, Ross Branch is now firmly on a mission of redemption. Stage 4 saw the World Champion put in another strong effort. Though a small mistake early in the day cost him some time, he fought through dust, ruts, and technical climbs to finish sixth fastest. Branch remains 13th in the general classification.
Consistency continues to be Nacho Cornejo’s biggest asset in this year’s rally. The Chilean maintained a steady rhythm through the treacherous terrain, avoiding risks while keeping pace with the front runners. He clocked the 10th fastest time of the day and now sits seventh overall.
Rally2
The breakout story of the day was again the team’s new joiner, Tobias Ebster. The Austrian youngster came out swinging and led the Rally2 field through the opening section, briefly running as high as third overall time sheets. Despite eventually ceding the Rally2 stage lead to Red Bull KTM’s Edgar Canet, Ebster kept up the charge to finish second in class, just 1 minute 55 seconds adrift. It’s a result that solidifies his hold on second place in the Rally2 overall standings and elevates him to ninth in the combined rankings.
Stage 5 is next
Stage 5 will bring the 2025 South African Safari Rally to its climax with a relatively shorter yet tricky 216km loop around Sun City, featuring 118km of timed special. Hero MotoSports will aim to close the rally on a high.
