Peterhansel joins Defender's 2026 Dakar Rally Campaign with D7X-R prototype

DEFENDER is well on the way in its preparations for entering the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), having finished prototype testing in Morocco with the Defender Dakar D7X-R.

- Willem van de Putte [e-mail]

They have also signed 14-time Dakar Rally winner Stéphane Peterhansel alongside emerging talent Rokas Baciuška.

Peterhansel joined the Defender Rally team in Morocco, completing early testing with the prototype of the Defender Dakar D7X-R as they began preparations for competing at the Dakar Rally in January 2026.

Dakar success

Peterhansel, 59, the most successful Dakar Rally driver of all time, has competed in the Dakar Rally 35 times on both bike and car, and has won the ultimate off-road race 14 times. In 2026, he will race for Defender in all rounds of the W2RC to help pave the way for Defender's future in the sport as he strives to build on his record win tally.

Emerging talent

Twenty-five-year-old Lithuanian Baciuška is the first driver in the history of the FIA to win world champion titles in two different categories. In 2022, he made his Dakar Rally debut and finished third in the T4 category.