Michael Docherty has signed with a factory team with the Hero MotoSports Team Rally team as an official rider.
Michael Docherty has signed with a factory team with the Hero MotoSports Team Rally team as an official rider. He will make his debut at the Desafío Ruta 40, the third round of the 2026 FIM World Rally-Raid Championship at the end of May.
“Iron Mike” holds the record for the highest number of stage wins – 37 pole positions. Remember he won stage 10 overall in the ‘25 Dakar rally.
Consistency is what it’s all about and he has established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the world of Rally.
At 31, Docherty has achieved a massive opportunity becoming a factory rider – something he has chased since starting out in the rally-raid world.
Born in 1994 in Benoni, Docherty started out in motocross, competing in SA, the USA and later on in the United Arab Emirates where he now lives.He rode for SA three times at the Motocross of Nations.
The Rally-raid bug bit in 2021 where he sounded a warning by winning the Rally2 category at the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge first time out.
Docherty has steadily built his rally-raid career in the W2RC since its inception in 2022 , riding in teams like BAS World KTM and SRG Motorsports.
His achievements include a third-place in the 2025 Rally2 World Cup.
Says Mike:
“Joining Hero MotoSports marks a significant step in my career.” Says the South African. “Becoming a factory rider has been a long-term goal of mine and I’m proud to achieve it with a team that has already demonstrated its strength at the highest level. I’m grateful for the trust they’ve placed in me and excited to start this new chapter together. We share clear ambitions for the future and I’m fully committed to contributing to the team’s success.”
Some Michael Docherty W2RC statistics:
- Best championship finish: 3rd (2025).
- Race wins: 1 (Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2025).
- Podiums: 6 (Dakar 2023 – 3rd, Rallye du Maroc 2024 – 2nd ; Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge 2025 – 1st ; South African Safari Rally 2025 – 3rd ; bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal – 3rd ; Rallye du Maroc 2025 – 2nd).
- Stage wins: 37 (read that again)
18 Dakar stages. 8 AbuDhabi Desert challenges. 6 Rally du Maroc. 4 Desafio Ruta 40 and a stage win at the inaugural SA Safari Rally.
This man is fast!
Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally:
“We are very excited to welcome Michael Docherty to become our next strong addition to Hero MotoSports Team Rally. His Rally career records speak for themselves, he always showed great speed, working ethic and dedication in his Rally2 career and we believe strongly we can build the next step together to become a top Rally GP contender. Looking forward to see him racing first time on our Hero 450 Rally at the Ruta 40.”
You go Mike!
SA is behind you!
