Branch targets 2026 redemption

Kabelo Boranabi | Monday December 15, 2025 06:00

The Dakar Rally holds the round of the 2026 W2RC season, and it is to be held in Saudi Arabia from January 3 to 17. The local biker had a 2025 season to forget after losing the world title he won in 2024. The only Motswana biker consistently battling with the global elite on rally terrain will return under bike number 46, a visible mark of transition after relinquishing the number one plate he carried as the 2024 world champion. Branch’s 2025 campaign in the FIM World Rally‑Raid Championship was a mix of flashes of speed and brutal moments of adversity.

In round one, the 2024 Dakar Rally, he was a podium threat early on before a crash forced him out of the event he once nearly won.

That setback echoed into the championship, but it did not stop him from pushing through a calendar stacked with desert, scrub, savannah, and gravel tracks across four continents.

At Round two, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, Branch struggled to make a dent amidst a field dominated by international heavyweights like Daniel Sanders and Tosha Schareina.

Round three, the South African Safari Rally, was a standout moment for Branch.

He grabbed the stage‑one win, showcasing raw pace and rally‑savvy in front of Southern African crowds, before navigating the gruelling stages to finish 11th overall. Along the way, he took a podium result in stage three, proving his mettle against elite competition.

The European leg brought round four at BP Ultimate Rally‑Raid Portugal, where Branch faced fierce terrain and factory firepower. Whilst BP Ultimate Rally honours went to series leaders, the Botswana rider battled hard but could not secure a top result.

By the final round at Rallye du Maroc, Branch’s momentum was blunted by a mechanical setback mid‑rally, but he fought back through the Sahara to cross the line, ultimately classified 22nd in this brutal 'mini‑Dakar'.

Over the five W2RC rounds, Branch finished ninth in the world championship standings with 17 points, a position that belies the grit and moments of brilliance he showed across the season’s toughest terrains.

Reflecting on the year, Branch admitted that 2025 was “not exactly what we had hoped for”, but he insisted the lessons learned will fuel his Dakar comeback.

“I am really looking forward to the 2026 Dakar. The team has done all the work. The rest is up to us, we are going to give it everything we have got,” he told the Dakar website.