Results and video highlights from stage five of the 2024 Rallye Du Maroc, World Rally-Raid Championship final round, where Red Bull KTM’s Daniel Sanders has won the race and Ross Branch claims the world title for Hero MotoSports – Bradley Cox takes Rally2 title.

Ross Branch has won the Rally GP world championship in Morocco and earned the Indian brand Hero MotoSports its first-ever title.

Meanwhile Africa claims a second trophy with Bradley Cox (BAS World KTM Racing) claiming the Rally 2 race victory, beating Romain Dumontier (Honda) and Konrad Dąbrowski (Duust Rally) to secure his first title.

Branch goes down in history

Ross Branch withstood the Honda onslaught on his shoulders ever since he had seized the Rally GP points lead at the end of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in March. Ricky Brabec moved within nine points of the Botswanan after winning the Desafío Ruta 40 YPF Infinia, but a knee injury in stage one of the Rallye du Maroc knocked him out of the race and the fight for the title.

With the pressure off, Branch could turn on autopilot and cruised alongside his trusted Hero teammate wingman Nacho Cornejo to cross the finish line in third place among the W2RC entrants, right behind Tosha Schareina and Adrien Van Beveren. That made him the third Rally GP world champion and claim a slice of history for Botswana and Hero, none of which had ever won a FIM title before.

“No words can capture this incredible moment.” Says Branch. “I am thrilled to see the entire team’s hard work come together, and witnessing everyone’s happiness is a success in itself. I feel fortunate to be part of such a passionate family! Thank you, to everyone who believed in me and provided me with this opportunity. It is truly overwhelming!”

Honda back-up team performance

Silver in the world championship goes to Van Beveren and bronze to Schareina, whose Moroccan triumph catapulted him to the podium at the last minute. The Spaniard claimed the win as W2RC registered rider (despite Daniel Sanders winning the Morocco Rally) and with that helps Monster Energy Honda pick up its third consecutive manufacturers' title.

Race win for Sanders gets KTM back on track

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Daniel Sanders won overall at the 2024 Rallye du Maroc. After a mixed season, and some big changes, this counts as a successful event for the team with both Sanders and Luciano Benevides on the podium.

Sanders opened much of stage five to secure the overall rally victory by just over 11 minutes.

“I’m so pleased with how the whole rally has gone,” Says Chucky, “especially taking the win of course. But it’s definitely a massive accomplishment for myself and the whole team since Dakar and the last race in Argentina – it really demonstrates the hard work everyone has put in over these last few months. I’m happy to be back on the top step, it’s been a year and a half since I broke my femur, so I’m super-pumped to be back on form and showing some good speed ahead of Dakar.”

The new Rally 2 champion also reigns down in Africa —specifically South Africa, which is joining the W2RC calendar next season. Bradley Cox scored a double whammy by winning the rally and the title. Michael Docherty and Tobias Ebster helped to lock out the podium for BAS World KTM Racing. Cox snatched the championship at the eleventh hour from Romain Dumontier (Team Honda), who was riding a new mount. The Frenchman came in second and Konrad Dąbrowski (Duust Rally) third.

Racing in her first major event for the Fantic Rally Team in Rally2 category, Sandra Gomez finished top female rider and in 35th place overall.

In the Rally 3 championship, the Chilean John Medina prevailled over his Argentinian teammate Eduardo Alan. Local hero Souleymane Addahri finished third thanks to his victory on home soil this week, the Africa Rallye Team's third in Morocco.

Rallye Du Maroc final results Rally GP:

Rally 2

Rally 3

Full results: www.maroc.live.worldrallyraidchampionship.com

Photo Credit: Rally Zone + A.S.O. Julien Delfosse