(From the Range Rover Press Media Center) — Defender Rally have won the 2026 Dakar Rally, the toughest off‑road challenge in the world, in their debut year, as drivers Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal win the Stock class in the Defender Dakar D7X‑R.
After two weeks of racing over relentlessly tough terrain, fellow teammates Sara Price and Sean Berriman finished in second place, whilst ‘Mr Dakar’ Stéphane Peterhansel and co‑driver Mika Metge finished in fourth position in the Dakar Rally Stock class rankings.
The overall Stock class win followed Rokas and Oriol claiming victory in today’s Stage 13 competition in just 55 minutes and 51 seconds, with Stephane and Mika finishing second, and Sara and Sean completing today’s result in third.
The trio of Defender Rally crews achieved a ‘1‑2‑3’ result across 10 of the 13 stages, demonstrating dedication, precision and unwavering spirit. And over the 14‑days of grueling competition, the three Defender Dakar D7X‑Rs racked up a combined total of 24,000km (nearly 15,000 miles) traversing the Saudi Arabian desert.
Defender Rally’s winning car in the Stock class, the Defender Dakar D7X‑R, is closely related to the production Defender OCTA. The life of each Defender Dakar D7X‑R began on the same bodyshell assembly line at Defender’s state‑of‑the‑art facility in Nitra, Slovakia, as every production customer Defender vehicle. The Defender Dakar D7X‑R carries the same robust D7x body architecture, transmission and driveline layout as the Defender OCTA, the most capable production Defender ever made. It is also powered by the OCTA’s 4.4‑liter twin‑turbo V8 engine. The Defender Dakar D7X‑R is then modified for W2RC competition with wider track, increased ride height, new suspension and enhanced cooling.
Throughout the triumphant 2026 Dakar Rally, the team were supported by Official Partners Castrol, YETI, Bilstein, Bell & Ross, and Epic Games, along with official suppliers Shackleton and Alpinestars.
Defender Rally will compete at the next round of the World Rally‑Raid Championship at the bp Ultimate Rally‑Raid Portugal from 17‑22 March 2026.
