(From the Range Rover Press Media Center) — Defender Rally has successfully brought all three crews and cars to the finish at the 2026 bp Ultimate Rally‑Raid Portugal, with Stéphane Peterhansel and Mika Metge taking the overall win in the Stock class with a time of 11:57:33. In a race renowned for its technical, fast and hazardous terrain, the Defender Dakar D7X‑R vehicle showcased its impressive capability and reliability.
Fellow teammates Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal finished in second place (12:00:02), whilst Sara Price and Sean Berriman came in third (13:09:58) in the Stock class rankings, after five days of racing in highly‑variable conditions including mud, water, trees and tight tracks.
In the final stage of the rally (Stage 5), Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal placed first with a time of 1:07:39, followed by Sara Price and Sean Berriman and finally Stéphane Peterhansel and Mika Metge.
The three Defender Dakar D7X‑R vehicles covered a combined total of 6,600 km (4,101 mi), with routes traversing Portugal and Spain. In every stage, the Defender crews ranked among the timings of the Ultimates, showcasing the impressive speed and capability of the car in brutal conditions. In the Car category overall, the Defender drivers ranked 16th (Peterhansel), 17th (Baciuška) and 30th (Price).
Defender Rally’s race car, the Defender Dakar D7X‑R, is based on the production Defender OCTA, the most capable Defender vehicle. The bodyshells are built on the same production line and it carries the same transmission, driveline layout and D7x body architecture as the OCTA. It is modified to meet FIA regulations and to handle the extremes of W2RC competition, with adjustments such as enhanced cooling, new suspension and wider track.
Throughout the Portuguese event, Defender Rally was supported by Official Partners Castrol, YETI, Bilstein and Bell & Ross, along with official suppliers Shackleton and Alpinestars.
Defender Rally will compete at the next round of the World Rally‑Raid Championship at the Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina from 24‑29 May 2026.
