Defender Rally Secures Historic Finish in Stock Class on Dakar Debut

Defender Rally has achieved a landmark victory in its debut at the 2026 Dakar Rally, claiming first and second positions in the Stock class. Drivers Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal won the category with an overall time of 58 hours, 9 minutes and 45 seconds in the Defender Dakar D7X-R.

Teammates Sara Price and Sean Berriman finished second, while Stephane Peterhansel and Mika Metge secured fourth place. The team dominated the podium in 10 out of 13 stages, recording a 1-2-3 result across multiple days. The three Defender Dakar D7X-R vehicles covered a combined 24,000 km over the demanding Saudi Arabian terrain during the 14-day event, the opening round of the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).

Rokas Baciuska expressed delight at fulfilling his dream of winning Dakar, crediting the team's mechanics and engineers for their tireless efforts. Sara Price highlighted the emotional team spirit at the finish line, while Stéphane Peterhansel described the rally as a memorable adventure despite a more challenging personal outcome, praising the strong collaboration.

The winning Defender Dakar D7X-R is derived from the production Defender OCTA, sharing the same D7x body architecture, driveline, and 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. Modifications for rally competition include increased ride height, wider track, revised suspension, and enhanced cooling.

The success underscores the Defender's capability and durability in extreme conditions. Defender Rally will continue in the W2RC at the bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal from March 17-22, 2026.

The team was supported by official partners Castrol, YETI, Bilstein, Bell & Ross, Epic Games, Shackleton, and Alpinestars.

Mark Cameron, Managing Director of Defender, described the achievement as exhilarating and historic, emphasising the exceptional team effort. Ian James, Team Principal of Defender Rally, expressed immense pride in the collective dedication that delivered the debut success.

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