Interview with Hero MotoSports Rider Jose "Nacho" Cornejo

Rounding out the top five in this year’s overall World Rally Raid Championship’s motorcycle division was Jose “Nacho” Cornejo with Hero MotoSports, fueled by Monster Energy. A familiar face in the past with the Monster Energy/Honda Rally Team program, Cornejo transitioned to the Hero program this year and not only put up solid race numbers (5th overall in the standings), was instrumental in assisting teammate Ross Branch to the overall WRRC title.

The call for the 30-year-old from Iquique, Chile, to join Hero came following the ’24 Dakar Rally (when he was with Monster Energy/Honda). But in order to get his new contract in place and up-to-speed on the new Hero Rally 450 bike, Cornejo would have to miss the Abu Dhabi and Portugal WRRC rounds, returning to action for the Argentinian round – the Desafio Ruta 40 YPF Infinia Rally.

On the surface, the move for Cornejo – from the juggernaut Honda program to upstart Hero – would seem like a move from Real Madrid SC to a playing pro soccer in the States. But Cornejo was able to put his successful six years with Honda behind him and, after some testing, open his new chapter at Hero with the same determination, dedication and positive attitude that he’s known for.

Monster Energy caught up with ‘Nacho’ for a friendly interview, getting his feelings on the 2024 competition season and looking forward with Hero MotoSports, fueled by Monster Energy, on the upcoming 2025 Dakar Rally and beyond.

Monster Energy: Hey, Nacho! Como estas? Are you relieved that the 2024 World Rally Raid Championship series is complete? 

Jose “Nacho” Cornejo: What’s up ! Yeah, I’m happy with this season coming to an end. It was a transition year for me, so not so easy with some big changes in my racing career. But we finished it with high notes. Happy with my evolution and improvements along with Hero Motosports. 

ME: Excellent. That was quite a final round in Morrocco. Talk a bit about what it meant to you to A.) Win a stage (Stage 4) and B.) Help your Hero MotoSports teammate Ross Branch to the overall championship victory? 

JC: Personally, it was very satisfying to make a stage, battling up front again after my hard debut in Argentina with the team. Following the Ruta 40, I spend some tough weeks and months even doubting myself, but the support from the team, my girlfriend and family helped a lot. I put on a lot of hard work and it paid off. 

To support Ross to grab that title felt pretty good. The Hero Motosports Team is a family and we all row in the same direction. I really think I just gave him a bit of extra safety, in case anything happened, but he (Branch) did all the work during the season. From Dakar to Morocco, he did awesome and was always battling up front. I’m really happy for him. He is a very cool dude and worked hard on his terms, to get to where he is right now.

ME: What the general public doesn’t really understand is the importance of the role you played, especially when your third Hero MotoSports teammate, Sebastian Buhler, was knocked out of last week’s Rally Du Maroc in a crash. Talk a bit about how motorcycle rally racing is a team sport, what your role was in helping bring the championship, via Ross, to the Hero MotoSports team, and how your bike and gear setup differed from what Ross was running (tools and extra fuel you were carrying, extra gear, etc.) 

JC: Yes, rally racing is a team sport even if we are by ourselves on top of the bike. There is so much work behind every bike, mechanics, technicians, engineers, physios, managers, families and trainers - all working and helping for the riders to perform. This time, Ross just had to finish the race to become champion, so in a couple of stages that I started in front of him, I had to stop to follow him and make sure that he made it to the finish. And if anything happened to his bike try to help him fix it, or even tow him if it was necessary. I believed both of our bikes were with the same tools this time, so nothing differed from his and mine. But we were both prepared for an emergency! (Laughter) 

ME: You’re known throughout the series as one of the best, if not the best navigator on the WRRC tour. Discuss how your expert navigational skills came about and how you were able to adapt this year from the paper map scroll to the FIM’s new all-digital navigation notebook. 

JC: Thanks for that. Yes, when I can get to the top level of focus, I’m able to do a good job with the navigation. But I fail as well. (Navigation) is a skill that requires so much focus that, if in a stage you are too agitated or too confident on yourself, you can take the wrong decisions and miss notes or get lost out there. How this skill became one of my strengths, I think, is due to all the hours that I spend doing roadbooks before going to the international races. Back at home in Iquique (Chile) with my dad, who is known for teaching and helping a lot of top riders (Chaleco Lopez, Kevin and Luciano Benavides, Jeremias Israel, Lorenzo Santolino, and many others), I used to go out to train with whoever came to train with him. So at the time I started to do very good, and when I got into the big teams and with more resources, we continue to improve the training plans and programs. It’s all about the amount of hours you dedicate into it. 

ME: That’s highly interesting. So you raced for six seasons with the Monster Energy/Honda Rally Team, making the move to Hero MotoSports, fueled by Monster Energy, for the 2024 WRRC season. This season, you were able to finish 5th overall (41 points), with two top five finishes (4th at Dakar and the Rallye Du Maroc) and an 8th at Portugal’s Desafio Ruta 40 Rally. Talk about the transition from Honda to Hero and how you were able to make it work with your 5th place finish. 

JC: It wasn’t an easy transition, mainly emotionally. The Monster Energy Honda Team was my team for six years, being the first factory team that gave me an opportunity. And with them I fulfilled my dream of become a professional rally rider. I’ll be forever grateful with them. But the last couple of years I wasn’t feeling entirely valued… so I felt it was time for a change. Hero Motosports was searching for me since some years and they came up with a very good offer and interesting project, and it looked like the right time for a change. I have seen how they have been growing and working very good even if they are a ‘smaller’ team. Once I came in I saw how much passion and effort they put into their work, and that motivated me even more. Everything feels more personal. And as a rider that makes you feel part of something and, in turn, motivates you a lot.

In the results it wasn’t easy, because I missed two rounds in the team transition (Abu Dhabi and Portugal). So what helped me to finish 5th, I think, it was the result in Dakar. Now in Morocco, I found the right settings with my Hero 450 Rally (motorcycle), so the confidence and speed came back. I’m quite motivated for the next Dakar. 

ME: Back to your relationship with Ross… here in the States, when an NFL running back gains 1,000 yards in a season he’ll purchase his offensive linemen (the guys who blocked the defenders, clearing the way for the running back) anything from new golf clubs or a Rolex watch for each of them. That said, was there anything Ross did for you, or purchased for you, as a ‘Thank you’ for helping him to victory in the WRRC? 

JC: I think we are quite far to be at the same level of NFL! (Laughter) But in the team, there are some bonus for helping a teammate to get a big win. Anyway, even if there wasn’t a bonus or a reward, I would have done the same to help one of the guys. I think what we share with both Ross and Basti (Sebastian Buhler) is that our paths haven’t being easy or quick to get here. So if I can help them to grab a win or a championship when I’m not in the position to fight for it, I will do it. 

ME: Very well put, Nacho. What are your plans during the off season before we head to Northern Africa for the Dakar Rally and start of the ’25 World Rally Raid Championship? 

JC: Now a week of taking things more easy, a bit of rest and recovery from the season. I’ll be in Italy at my girlfriend’s home for a bit. Then, at the end of October, I go back to Chile to start putting on the hard work for Dakar and 25’ season. I always prepare Dakar at home in the north of Chile and this year won’t be the exception. 

ME: Awesome. Thank you for your time, Nacho. And congratulations from everyone at Monster Energy on your top five finish in the WRRC, along with the teamwork that helped allow for the historic victory for Hero MotoSports in this year’s World Rally Raid Championship.

JC: Thank you guys for the interview and for all that you do for us. We are very happy for the historic win for Hero and we will work hard to bring some more in the future.

2024 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (through 5 of 5 rounds) Overall Standings

1st – Ross Branch (Monster Energy/Hero), 88 points

2nd - Adrien Van Beveren (Monster Energy/Honda), 76 points

3rd – Tosha Schareina (Monster Energy/Honda), 70 points

4th – Ricky Brabec (Monster Energy/Honda), 63 points

5th – Jose “Nacho” Cornejo (Monster Energy/Hero), 41 points

6th – Pablo Quintanilla (Monster Energy/Honda), 37 points

7th – Sebastian Buhler (Monster Energy/Hero), 29 points

8th – Skyler Howes (Monster Energy/Honda), 26 points

9th – Aaron Mare (Monster Energy/Hero), 25 points

Up next… The 2025 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship kicks off in January (3rd through 17th) with the legendary Dakar Rally. For more info on WRRC and Monster Energy’s racers with Honda and Hero, link to: www.worldrallyraidchampionship.com