For 18-year-old Shlok Ghorpade, the Rally du Maroc has started with a new experience. The Indian rider has entered his first FIM World Rally-Raid Championship event with Hero MotoSports Team Rally. He completed the opening 18-km prologue in 19th place and will now prepare for five longer days of competition in Morocco.
Prologue results
The short opening stage was held in Agadir and also set the starting order for the first proper stage. Hero MotoSports had three riders in action.
| Rider | Position | Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Docherty | 7th | +32s |
| Nacho Cornejo | 13th | +1m 09s |
| Shlok Ghorpade | 19th | +1m 17s |
Daniel Sanders of Red Bull KTM Factory Team topped the prologue with a time of 10 minutes 58 seconds. E. Canet was second, while Ricky Brabec finished third.
In the Rally GP provisional classification, Nacho Cornejo is listed in eighth place. Mike Docherty is second in Rally 2, while Shlok Ghorpade is currently 10th in the same class.
A new step for Shlok
Ghorpade is part of Hero MotoCorp’s India’s Next Dakar Hero programme. The initiative is designed to find and develop Indian rally riders with the long-term target of preparing them for the Dakar Rally.
The 18-year-old has already gained international experience this year. At the Spanish Rally Championship in Zaragoza, he showed strong pace and finished on the podium in his opening special stage.
His Rally du Maroc entry now gives him the chance to compete alongside experienced riders and learn in a World Championship environment.
Five demanding days ahead
The rally will cover more than 2,600 km across five days. Around 1,500 km will be timed competitive sections.
Riders will face different types of terrain during the event, including:
- Dirt tracks
- Sandy sections
- Rocky areas
- Large dune sections
- Long navigation stages
The team is competing with the Hero 450 Rally. Ross Branch is not taking part in the event as he continues his recovery from an injury.
Riders speak after the prologue
Shlok said the opening stage was a valuable learning experience, especially because it was his first prologue in a World Championship event. He also said following the road book carefully was important because of the close routes.
Mike Docherty said the prologue helped him settle into the race. He found the navigation manageable and was happy with his seventh-place result.
Nacho Cornejo also had a positive opening run. He said the loose stones made the short stage demanding and added that he was pleased with his speed and the performance of the motorcycle.
Hero MotoSports team manager Wolfgang Fischer said the opening results were encouraging, with particular attention on Ghorpade’s first World Championship appearance. He also stressed that the rally still has five long days ahead.