Defender’s inaugural effort in the Dakar Rally is off to a great start.
The Dakar Rally is currently underway in Saudi Arabia, and Defender, the cherished and historic name in the off-roading world, is competing in the event for the first time with three Defender D7X-R rally cars, all closely related to Defender’s current luxury and performance flagship, the Defender OCTA. Drivers Sara Price, Stéphane Peterhansel, and Rokas Baciuška are all taking the rally on, with over 3,000 miles in total to race in two weeks.
So far, the group has gotten off to a wonderful start, with stage two over, and the team achieving 1-2-3 finishes in the Stock category for both the Prologue and Stage 2. The results put the Defender team at the top of the Stock category standings. While the Prologue only lasted under 14 miles, the strong result helped the team hit the ground running, and Stage 2 saw the same driver, Sara Price, finishing first, with the other two teams close behind.
Stage 2 consisted of around 250 miles, and it presented daunting challenges for the drivers, including stones, sand, low visibility, and a demanding track for the vehicles’ tires. However, the team managed to emerge from Stage 2 with a 1-2-3 finish in the Stock category, going into Tuesday’s Stage 3 with wind in its sails. The third stage of the Dakar Rally involves a timed stage of over 250 miles, along with a road liaison of over 150 miles.
Image Source: JLR