Morocco holds key to Branch's title hopes
Kabelo Boranabi | Tuesday July 28, 2026 12:34
The Hero MotoSports rider returns to action at the Rallye du Maroc from September 28 to October 3 knowing anything short of a strong finish could end his hopes of reclaiming the world title. After a difficult opening three rounds, the local rider heads into the championship's two-month break with little room for error. Branch sits eighth in the RallyGP standings on 31 points, 36 behind defending world champion, Daniel Sanders who leads the standings on 67 points.
Tosha Schareina (64) and Luciano Benavides (61) have also built healthy advantages, leaving Branch with a mountain to climb over the final two rounds.
His latest outing came at the Desafío Ruta 40 YPF in Argentina from May 24 to 30, where he finished eighth overall after another consistent but not so spectacular performance.
Earlier in the season, Branch placed eighth at the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia from January 3 to 17 before improving to seventh at Rally-Raid Portugal from March 15 to 20.
While the rider has collected points at every round, he is yet to register a podium finish this season.
With no championship action during July and August, Branch and the Hero MotoSports team have an opportunity to reset before the championship resumes in North Africa.
The Rallye du Maroc has produced some of the biggest moments for Branch's career.
In 2024, he finished third overall, a result that secured his maiden FIM World Rally-Raid Championship and crowned him the first Motswana to win the prestigious title.
It was a calculated ride in which he prioritised the championship over chasing an outright race victory.
Although injuries hampered his 2025 campaign, Branch once again showed his pace in Morocco. He claimed a podium finish on the opening stage and briefly climbed to second overall before dropping down the leaderboard later in the event.
Those performances suggest the Moroccan terrain suits both the Botswana rider and the Hero MotoSports machine.
The rally's demanding mix of towering sand dunes, rocky tracks and high-speed desert sections has consistently brought out the best in Branch.
The stakes are clear as only the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, scheduled for November 22 to 27, remains after Morocco to take a realistic title challenge into the season finale.
Branch will almost certainly need a podium finish if not victory while hoping the riders ahead of him surrender valuable points.