Defender Rally completes gruelling Saharan test of first competition-spec Defender Dakar D7X-R as team principal appointed
Defender’s world-class line-up of drivers and co-drivers tested the Defender Dakar D7X-R over thousands of kilometres in the extreme Saharan terrain of eastern Morocco
Defender Rally has accelerated preparations for its debut entry to the 2026 Dakar Rally and FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) after completing a gruelling test of the Defender Dakar D7X-R in Morocco.
Attending this milestone test was new Team Principal of Defender Rally, Ian James – also recently announced as Managing Director, JLR Motorsport. Ian will lead the Defender Rally team into Dakar and the W2RC, and joins from McLaren Electric Racing where he was Managing Director and Team Principal.
Defender, the unstoppable 4x4 built for capability and durability, will make its team debut at the 2026 Dakar Rally, where three Defender Dakar D7X-Rs will compete in the new ‘Stock’ category for production-based cars. A two-car Defender entry will then contest the remaining four rounds of the 2026 W2RC.
Progressing from early prototypes, the competition-spec Defender Dakar D7X-R is now taking centre stage. The Defender Dakar D7X-R shares the same robust D7x aluminium body architecture, transmission and driveline layout as the production Defender OCTA, and also its 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. The D7X-R’s bodyshell was assembled on the production line at Defender’s state‑of‑the‑art Nitra Manufacturing Centre in Slovakia, before bespoke final build to ‘Stock’ rally-raid specification was completed by the Defender Rally team in the UK.
This first competition spec D7X-R was put through its paces most recently in Erfoud, Morocco, where the team carried out the most significant test to date in their preparation programme. The aim of the Saharan desert test was to accumulate mileage on the D7X-R, covering similar stage distances to those expected at the upcoming 2026 Dakar Rally, the hero event of the W2RC. The test began with shorter loops over smaller dunes, before building up to routes covering hundreds of kilometres spanning wadis and rugged plains, bumps and rocks, and faster sand tracks - mirroring the terrain expected at Dakar.
Putting the D7X-R to the test was Defender’s world-class line-up of drivers – Stéphane Peterhansel, Sara Price and Rokas Baciuška – simulating the challenges they’ll face on the Dakar. This included their co-drivers utilising the digital navigation ‘roadbooks’ which, on the Dakar, will have each day’s route available to view just minutes before a timed stage begins.
Ian James, Team Principal of Defender Rally, said:
“It’s an honour to be leading the Defender Rally team as we enter the almighty world of rally-raid competition in 2026, the first of a three-year programme. With a world-class driver line-up and team in place, and the first competition-spec Defender Dakar D7X-R now showing its capability in the desert, I’m looking forward to working through the rest of the extensive preparations ahead of Dakar in January. We’ve still much work to do, but we’re all determined to make 2026 a memorable year in World Rally Raid for the Defender brand.”
Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender, said:
“We made the decision to enter the World Rally-Raid Championship as it’s the ultimate stage to showcase Defender’s renowned capability and durability. The new Defender OCTA has set a high bar in terms of tough luxury and seeing it transform into an unstoppable Dakar contender is remarkable. Now, with just three months to go until we will take the start ramp in Yanbu, I am proud of how this team is taking shape. We have a stellar line-up of drivers and co-drivers and a fantastic strategic and operational staff in place, all now led by Ian James as Team Principal. With the first of the competition Defender Dakar D7X-Rs completing this test everything is on track. I can’t wait to see us taking to the dunes at Dakar.”
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