In a shock announcement, the Indian off-road team Hero Motorsports confirmed that Portuguese rider Paulo Gonçalves will be joining them. Having won the FIM Cross-Country Championship in 2015, and being runner-up at the Dakar Rally in 2015, Paulo Gonçalves will bring experience to the team and aims to take Hero Motorsports to Dakar glory.
Created in 2016, Hero Motorsport Rally Team has been gaining experience competing in some of the most demanding off-road races, especially the Dakar Rally. At the South-American race, Hero Motorsports already finished inside the top-10 twice, and the best result came at the Merzouga Rally where they won.
Paulo Gonçalves has been racing for the factory Honda Dakar team but decided it was time to change and try new challenges
“From my side, I promise to give my everything to be ready and fit to be able to fight for the top positions for my team. Hero MotoSports has been doing a really good job in the last couple of seasons and this young team has shown, that it has the potential to win big. I would like to play my part in bringing these wins to the team. With lots of passion and emotions, my thanks again to the team and I am excited to begin”.
Meanwhile, Wolfgang Fischer, head of Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, “We are very motivated by the entry of Paulo Gonçalves into our young set-up. To attract one of the most decorated and respected top rally athletes is a big boost for our team and an endorsement that we are being looked upon as one of the top teams in rally sport. His experience of numerous race victories and Dakar participation into our line-up will enable us to achieve the next level of competitiveness. We extend Paulo a very warm welcome and wish him a successful stint with Hero MotoSports Team Rally”.
The new Hero Motorsports Rally Team is now completed with one of the best rally riders in the world. Paulo Gonçalves joins other team riders CS Santosh, his compatriot Joaquim Rodrigues and Oriol Mena.
The Hero Motorsports Rally Team is getting ready for the next race, the Silkway Rally, that will happen in July, covering some spectacular trails in Russia, Mongolia and China.