Defender rally raid testing gets underway

Dakar D7X-R racer takes to Morocco ahead of 2026 W2RC

By Matt Bird / Wednesday, 7 May 2025 / Loading comments

You'll likely know by now, as keen-eyed PHers, that Land Rover is taking on the 2026 Dakar - and the wider World Rally-Raid Championship - with a Defender. A V8 Defender, no less, competing in the ‘Stock’ category and using the formidable OCTA as its foundation. Certainly sounds like a strong start. Now we know what the race car will be called - D7X-R, a nod to the production car’s D7x architecture - and who will be racing it, with the first round of prototype testing in Morocco complete.

Stéphane Peterhansel is the big name, to all intents and purposes the most successful Dakar entrant of all time. He’s a year from 60, has competed 35 times (!) and won 14 times, on both two wheels and four. If you want to win your Dakar class, you get Peterhansel - so that’s exactly what the Defender team has done. Indeed they have him for the whole W2RC season, which is some signal of intent. The Frenchman said: “Despite competing in many Dakar Rallies before, both on bike and in cars, I’m looking forward to entering the Stock category, and I’m excited to take it head on with this team. It’s been amazing to get behind the wheel of the Defender D7X-R prototype for the first time in Morocco. Whilst it’s early days, our testing is moving in a positive direction for our preparation for our Dakar Rally debut in 2026.”

The second driver confirmed is 25-year-old Lithuanian Rokas Baciuška, described by the Defender team as ‘one of the most talented young prospects within the rally world.’ He has notched podium finishes in the W2RC already, and has Dakar experience.

As a reminder, the Stock class is a new addition for the 2026 W2RC, designed with close competition in mind and to capitalise on the global sales phenomenon that is the fast SUV. So, in theory, the Defender will face a good few rivals in time, though certainly they’re the ones making the most noise for now. This first liveried prototype test in the Moroccan Sahara was to ‘verify the reliability, durability and capability baselines’ ahead of a flat out schedule of testing for next season. While the idea of motorsport in 2026 can seem a little way off still, don’t forget how early Dakar kicks off: next year’s running begins on January 2nd. So less than eight months to go, and no time to waste.

Mark Cameron, Defender MD, said: "It's a fantastic feeling to be sharing these first images of the Defender Dakar D7X-R prototype with the world. The team is really starting to take shape as we develop Defender to compete in the Stock category – which means the competition D7X-R will be very closely linked to the production Defender… Competing in the Dakar Rally and W2RC will be the ultimate proving ground for Defender’s capability, durability and performance and it won't be long until our competition Defender D7X-R will be put through its paces on the world-stage.” Should make for quite the sight, and sound. Bring on the full competition livery…