Defender’s bold racing ambitions include putting a rally hero behind the wheel.
While the brand has been known for creating some of the world’s most highly capable off-road-ready SUVs for decades, Defender has set out to expand its cherished legacy in recent years, unveiling the OCTA, a new performance-oriented flagship model, as well as announcing its ambitions to race in 2026, specifically at one of the most legendary off-road races ever conceived, the Dakar Rally.
The countdown continues for Defender’s anticipated racing debut, and while we know many details about the Defender D7X‑R rally car, which is based on the OCTA, more details are being revealed, including the fact that Defender’s driving lineup for the 2026 Dakar Rally will include Sara Price. Hailing from California, Price made racing history in 2024 by being the first American woman to win a stage in the Dakar Rally, and she’s the third woman ever to do so, as well.
As Defender gears up to take on the 2026 race, Sara Price is joining two other drivers, Stéphane Peterhansel, and Rokas Baciuška, to go after victory. In the Stock category of the Dakar Rally and the 2026 W2RC, former motocross champion and four‑time Dakar Rally stage winner Sara Price is part of Defender’s bold rallying ambitions.
