MOTORSPORT NEWS
DEFENDER
CONFIRMS THREE YEAR DAKAR AND FIA WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP WORKS
Defender will compete with a works team in Dakar – the world ’ s most demanding off-road motorsport competition – as part of a full FIA World Rally Raid Championship ( W2RC ) entry .
Defender will join the FIA World Rally Raid Championship ( W2RC ) in 2026 with a 3-year works program . They will enter two cars in all five W2RC rounds and a third car in the Dakar Rally each year . Defender will compete with a works team in Dakar – the world ’ s most demanding off-road motorsport competition – as part of a full FIA World Rally Raid Championship ( W2RC ) entry .
From 2026 to 2028 , Defender vehicles will compete in the FIA ’ s ‘ Stock ’ category – for production-based vehicles – within the Dakar Rally and the full W2RC . An update to the sporting and technical regulations in this important category will be implemented for 2026 , making it significantly more competitive and the perfect platform to demonstrate the extreme capability and durability of Defender .
A competition development program is underway , with a test event in autumn 2025 and a full team launch before Dakar 2026 .
Mark Cameron , Defender Managing Director , said : “ Dakar 2025 has begun . Defender is already here showcasing its capability and durability through our official car partnership , but to know that in 12 months we ’ ll be back with a threecar Defender works team entry at the beginning of a full FIA World Rally Raid Championship campaign is incredibly exciting . We have chosen to compete in the ‘ Stock ’ category to showcase the toughness and dependability of the production Defender .
“ There ’ s much work to do over the next
12 months , but with Defender works programme testing and development well under way , the team is already embracing the ultimate motorsport adventure that lays ahead from 2026 .”
James Barclay , JLR Motorsport Managing Director said : “ I ’ ve called Dakar the Everest of motorsport . Being here to once again see the prologue stage kick-off reinforces the challenge we face . It will be an incredible adventure from both human and engineering perspectives , and the team is already working hard to develop Defender within the new ‘ Stock ’ FIA W2RC rules for 2026 that will make for such a competitive category . We along with the FIA , ASO and other manufacturers have helped shape these new regulations , which represent an exciting new chapter for the Dakar , W2RC and Rally Raid in general .
While Defender will not compete in Dakar until 2026 , it will play a key role at the 2025 rally as the event ’ s official vehicle partner . A fleet of 20 Defenders will support the event , which begins in Bisha , Saudi Arabia , and ends in Shubaytah , transporting race officials and VIP media . A further six highly specialised Defender recce vehicles will be used by Dakar Rally organisers to plan the routes for the 2026 , 2027 and 2028 events .
Defender OCTA – the performance hero of the unstoppable Defender family – will form the basis of Defender ’ s Dakar and FIA World Rally Raid Championship competition challenger from 2026 , showcasing its extreme performance credentials in the world ’ s toughest offroad events .
Unstoppable all-terrain capability and strength are at the core of every Defender and these attributes are essential for any rally-raid competition vehicle . Selecting Defender OCTA – the fastest and most capable Defender ever made – as the basis for the British adventure brand ’ s rally-raid programme was a natural choice . New regulations aimed at making the ‘ Stock ’ category significantly more competitive will be implemented by 2026 , as the FIA and Dakar organisers respond to the growing popularity of high-performance 4x4s and SUVs . It ’ s the increased performance these new regulations permit that make the Stock category perfect to authentically demonstrate Defender ’ s extreme durability and capability . The FIA and Dakar organizers will implement new regulations by 2026 in response to the rising popularity of high-performance 4x4s and SUVs . These regulations aim to make the ‘ Stock ’ category more competitive , allowing for increased performance that perfectly showcases Defender ’ s extreme durability and capability .
Defender OCTA ’ s robust D7x body architecture , based on a lightweight aluminum monocoque construction , is three times stronger than traditional body-on-frame designs . This inherent robustness , coupled with bespoke geometry and kinematic design , makes it the ideal platform for Defender ’ s Dakar program . The competition vehicles will share Defender OCTA ’ s body architecture , transmission , driveline layout , and its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine , in compliance with Dakar and W2RC regulations . aBr WORDS IN ACTION 28 JANUARY • FEBRUARY • MARCH 2025