Ross Branch will not race the Rallye du Maroc next week after crashing in training.

“I was really excited leading up to this race, but it is what is,” said Branch. “It’s our sport. We’ll take it as it comes. We’re already doing the rehab and all the things to get back into tip-top shape and looking forward to Dakar 2027.”

It’s been a challenging year for the 2024 World Rally-Raid Champion and Hero MotoSports, who currently sits eighth in RallyGP points. He began the season with an eighth at the Dakar Rally, followed by fifth in the Rally-Raid Portugal and eighth again at the Desafío Ruta 40.

The injury will likely also keep him out for the season-ending Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (assuming it, like the 2027 Dakar Rally, takes place).

Hero teammate José Ignacio Cornejo hasn’t had much luck so far either as he’s ninth and last in the RallyGP standings. Branch’s absence means Cornejo will be on his own in the RallyGP field in Morocco, though Hero is also fielding Rally2 entries for Michael Docherty and Shlok Ghorpade.

Featured image credit: Irina Petrichei / Edophoto / DPPI / ASO