“I’m not going just to make up the numbers”
RIDER FACTS
- Aaron Mare started riding moto-x at the tender age of 4, back in his native South Africa. His talent took him from there to the FIM Junior World Moto-X championships and then onto the United States, to compete in the AMA outdoor nationals. He moved to Dubai in 2016, where inevitably he discovered the joys of racing in the desert.
- Considered to be one of the fastest rally raid riders currently without a factory contract, Aaron more than proved his worth by winning this year’s Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, while riding as a ‘stand in’ for the Hero factory team.
- In the process he became the first Hero rider to win a round of the W2RC. During a previous ‘stand in’ gig for Hero he finished 15th Rally GP rider on the 2022 Dakar.
- The Dakar hasn’t always smiled on the South African. Two years prior to his 2022 performance, he had to retire at the end of the first stage with a dislocated wrist, while making his Dakar debut with the Honda factory team.
- Embedded in the highly respected privateer HT Rally team for the 2025 Dakar, Aaron fully intends to show all the factory team managers exactly what they’re missing out on!
2025 AMBITIONS
“I might not have a factory ride at the moment but I reckon I have the next best thing. I work as a software engineer for Acacus Group here in Dubai and they are also my sponsor. They have been instrumental in setting up a base for me to get the most out of my week with work and riding. In addition to that, when I got the offer from Hero to race the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge they were more than happy to let me ride for the Indian manufacturer. Of course, here the conditions are perfect for preparing for the Dakar, we have dunes on our doorstep and I can train with my buddy Michael Docherty. As far as this upcoming Dakar is concerned, I’m not going just to make up the numbers. I think a Top 10 finish is totally realistic, but I’ll be aiming for a Top 5!”
