Tag Archives: Dakar Rally

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Defender Dakar D7X‑R: Britain’s Iconic Off-Roader Tackles the Ultimate Desert Challenge

Land Rover’s Defender is no stranger to adventure, but the all-new Defender Dakar D7X‑R takes the storied British icon into uncharted territory: the 2026 Dakar Rally. Built to compete in the FIA’s new Stock category, the D7X‑R is more than just a rugged production SUV—it’s a purpose-built rally machine, designed to endure the desert’s relentless extremes.

Three elite crews will pilot the Defender Dakar D7X‑R over two grueling weeks, covering roughly 5,000 kilometers of timed stages and more than 80 hours of competitive driving. Leading the charge are Dakar legend Stéphane Peterhansel with co-driver Mika Metge, Rokas Baciuška paired with Oriol Vidal, and Sara Price alongside Sean Berriman. Behind the wheel, these drivers will be supported by an experienced cadre of engineers and mechanics, under the leadership of newly appointed Team Principal, Ian James.

A Production SUV Born for the Dakar

Unlike conventional rally cars, the D7X‑R begins its life on a production line in Nitra, Slovakia, adhering strictly to the Stock category rules. The bodyshell remains true to the production Defender 110 OCTA, one of Land Rover’s most capable Defenders ever. The 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine is retained, running on FIA-compliant sustainable fuel, while the eight-speed automatic transmission carries over from the road car, albeit with a lower final drive ratio optimized for rally conditions.

While the Stock category limits modifications, Defender Rally has fitted the D7X‑R with a host of rally-specific upgrades. A 550-liter fuel tank is integrated into the rear, ensuring the vehicle can survive stages exceeding 800 kilometers. The suspension has been tuned with BILSTEIN performance dampers, including a single coil-over front and twin rear dampers, capable of handling the extra weight and brutal off-road conditions. Approach and departure angles have been improved via modified front and rear bodywork, while extended wheel arches, raised ride height, and a wider 60mm track give the SUV a more aggressive stance.

Engineering for Extremes

Desert racing requires more than sheer power. Cooling is a critical concern in the Dakar’s scorching environments, and the D7X‑R features an upgraded system with a large radiator, four 12V fans, bonnet vents, and sand filters to protect the V8 from particulate ingestion. The brakes are bespoke rally units with six-piston front calipers and four-piston rears, while the electronics are consolidated into a single motorsport control unit with custom calibrations. A unique “Flight Mode” automatically modulates torque delivery when airborne, smoothing landings and protecting driveline components.

Inside the Rally Cockpit

The cabin is stripped for competition but far from spartan. FIA-regulated six-buckle seats are customized for each driver, with navigation and motorsport dashboards providing essential data at a glance. Storage solutions include space for eight liters of water, three spare wheels, hydraulic jacks, tools, and critical spare parts, all secured within the new roll cage. This is a vehicle built for endurance, comfort, and survivability across some of the planet’s harshest terrain.

Desert-Inspired Design

The D7X‑R wears an all-new “Geopalette” livery, inspired by the sand, stone, and earth tones of the Dakar desert, accented with hints of aqua drawn from rare desert water sources. The result is a vehicle that looks at home both in the dunes and on the pages of Land Rover’s adventure history.

Ready for the Challenge

Following over 6,000 kilometers of off-road testing, the D7X‑R is set for its competitive debut at the 2026 Dakar Rally, starting January 3 in Saudi Arabia. Ian James, Team Principal, is clear on the stakes: “Dakar represents one of the toughest challenges in motorsport—but that’s exactly why we are entering. With world-class partners and some of the best rally-raid drivers on the planet, we’ll give it our all.”

With its blend of production-bred reliability and rally-honed engineering, the Defender Dakar D7X‑R embodies the essence of British adventure. It’s a Defender built not just to survive the world’s harshest conditions, but to conquer them—on the ultimate stage.

Source: Land Rover

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Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team will have two new drivers at the Dakar Rally

The start of one of the world’s toughest races, the Dakar Rally, is approaching, and the Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team has announced that its new drivers will be Corbin Leaverton and Gonçalo Guerreiro. The two young drivers will replace the previous four drivers, Seth Quintero, Cristina Gutiérrez, Mitch Guthrie Jr. and Guillaume de Mévius, who will compete in the Ultimate Car class.

The Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team has already had Dakar winners in the Challenger class, the brilliant Cristina Gutiérrez, while Guillaume de Mévius finished second in the Ultimate class in the 2024 edition of the Dakar Rally.

Leaverton followed in the footsteps of Portuguese Seth Quintero, who said: “I was in the junior team from the beginning and I owe my career to this program. It was challenging to start with a car that was still in development, but it instilled a lot of work ethic in me. A lot of incredible things happened during that time, including records and victories. I don’t think there’s a better way to start racing in the Dakar than by competing for the junior team.”

“I’m proud of my performance in this year’s Red Bull Scramble series, because these races are held on different types of terrain, in different conditions, and the rivals are different. I enjoy showing up anywhere and being competitive. The Dakar is simply the biggest challenge in the world of off-road racing. It’s a big jump from Southern California. Different cars, different racing styles, different cultures… It’s been great to see Seth and Mitch adapt so well. I want to follow in their footsteps and get to the Ultimate class,” said Leaverton.

Also, Gonçalo Guerreiro said that he is excited to participate in the Dakar Rally and that he shares the great passion for the adventure that this race provides. “I started driving fast cars when I was 17. It’s a passion I share with my father and I’m proud of my journey so far. I was the champion of Portugal in 2022, after which I moved to FIA racing. This year I participated in the Baja Morocco race, where I finished second overall. After the race we stayed in Morocco to test the Taurus T3 Max because of the Dakar focus. I think there are two reasons we all love Dakar, which is a challenge and an adventure,” said Guerreiro.

The 2025 Dakar Rally starts on January 3 in Bisha and ends on January 17, in the Empty Quarter (Rub’ al Khali) desert.

Source: Red Bull

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Two motorcycle Dakar Rally champions will be co-drivers in the Toyota Hilux Overdrive T1+

In 24 days, one of the world’s toughest rally races, the Dakar Rally, will kick off in Saudi Arabia. As all the teams make their final checks, drivers Toby Price and Sam Sunderland have completed their first car test with the Toyota Hilux Overdrive T1+.

Toby Price and Sam Sunderland have previously competed in the race as motorcycle riders, and this will be their first time competing in the car category. Price has been competing in car and other events since 2015, and he won the Baja 500 this year and has also scored podiums in the Stadium Super Trucks series. He also recently competed in the Dubai Baja with Hannes Kiningadner.

“It’s all a bit surreal to be honest. We’ve worked so hard on this and it’s incredible to see it all come together. It’s really exciting to show the car to the world and to have the great partners who support us,” said Price.

Sunderland will be the navigator for the team and he highlighted the ability to focus on one thing as a positive aspect of competing in a car. “The advantage is that there are two riders in one car. We’re going to make mistakes, things are going to go wrong sometimes, but we’ll still have some traces of bikes and cars in front of us until we get used to it and find our bearings. After that, we’ll be good,” said Price. “I’m extremely lucky to have been in this sport for a long time and to have good relationships with the riders and drivers. I was lucky to be able to talk to Mathieu Baumel a few days ago and get a lot of information. I still have a lot to learn, but I’m picking out the key information and learning day by day,” said Sunderland.

Pierce highlighted that the advantage of the two will be experience, as they have both won this race twice. “Even though we have more than 20 Dakar participations, this is still a new category for us, so previous victories do not guarantee anything. Finishing the Dakar in the top 10 would be a great result for us. You can make a thousand plans, but it will not be enough. We have to go day by day and make sure the wheels are rolling,” said Price.

It remains to be seen how this duo will work together and whether, with their experience, they will be able to contribute to a good result for the team.

Source: Reuters