Defender Rally has once again proven its mettle, bringing all three crews and cars to the finish at the 2026 bp Ultimate Rally-Raid Portugal. Stéphane Peterhansel and Mika Metge took the top spot in the Stock class with an overall time of 11:57:33, a testament to both their skill and the remarkable capability of the Defender Dakar D7X-R.
Fellow teammates Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal secured second place with a time of 12:00:02, while Sara Price and Sean Berriman completed the podium in third at 13:09:58. Across five grueling days, the drivers tackled highly variable conditions, including mud, water, narrow tracks, and dense forestry. The final stage showcased the competitiveness of the squad, with Baciuška and Vidal taking the stage win in 1:07:39, followed closely by Price and Berriman and Peterhansel with Metge.
Over the course of the event, the three Defender Dakar D7X-Rs covered a combined 6,600km across Portugal and Spain. Impressively, the Stock class Defenders consistently posted times comparable to those of the Ultimate class, highlighting the extraordinary speed and reliability of the D7X-R under punishing conditions. In the overall Car category, Peterhansel, Baciuška, and Price finished 16th, 17th, and 30th respectively.
Stéphane Peterhansel reflected on the rally, emphasizing the team’s cohesion and adaptability. “We finished third today, but it was enough to keep the first position overall, which is the most important thing. This is a new project with Defender in the World Rally-Raid Championship, and the team adapted the car perfectly to the challenging track conditions. I’m incredibly proud of the team’s hard work.”
Baciuška echoed the sentiment, noting the intensity of rally competition. “We gained 1:25 over the last 100 km, but it wasn’t enough for the overall win. One small mistake can make a big difference. Stéphane and Mika had a strong pace all week. We take important championship points and move forward. Argentina is next!” Price added, “We had an amazing day and great pace, even though we lost a few seconds on tricky corners. Rokas was fast today, making for exciting racing.”
The Defender Dakar D7X-R, built on the production Defender OCTA platform, demonstrates a unique combination of race-ready engineering and production-derived reliability. Sharing the same bodyshells, transmission, driveline layout, and D7x architecture as the OCTA, the vehicles are extensively modified to meet FIA regulations and handle the extremes of W2RC competition. Enhancements include improved cooling systems, advanced suspension, and a wider track, all designed to dominate in the most demanding rally conditions.
Defender Rally’s success in Portugal was bolstered by Official Partners Castrol, YETI, Bilstein, and Bell & Ross, as well as official suppliers Shackleton and Alpinestars. Team Principal Ian James highlighted the performance of both the cars and crews, noting the ability of the D7X-Rs to keep pace with Ultimate class vehicles and the dedication of engineers and mechanics in optimizing each stage.
Looking ahead, Defender Rally will take on the next challenge at the Desafio Ruta 40 in Argentina from 24-29 May 2026, carrying momentum from their Stock class triumph and continuing to showcase the speed, versatility, and resilience of the Defender Dakar D7X-R.
