How Defender Won Its Dakar Rally Debut

Mission accomplished: Defender turned up to the world’s toughest desert race and wrote its name into the history books.

For a brand so associated with go-anywhere 4x4s, it’s hard to believe that this year marked Defender’s official debut in the iconic, two-week off-road enduro. In fact, an entry into the 48th Dakar was its first factory motorsport effort of any kind. Talk about in at the deep end.

You definitely don’t turn up and make the Dakar look easy. But Defender gave it a good go. The team won every leg (the Prologue qualifying heat plus 13 stages) in Saudi Arabia between the 3rd and 17th of January to bag an overall win in the Stock class for production-based vehicles. That included no fewer than 10 podium lockouts. The incredible charge was led by 26-year-old Baciuška, who headed the combined times from Stage 1 to the finish line to triumph by a colossal four hours. Teammate Sara Price completing a 1-2 only made things better. 

Defender’s dominant run on the 2026 Dakar Rally will be best remembered for three things. One, the brand winning its class at the very first attempt. Two, young driver Rokas Baciuška establishing himself on the world stage. And three, the rise of the Stock car category. Here’s how the end of the race shaped up…

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