Land Rover Defender
Participating in the “Stock” class with increased combat power
Two Defenders will compete fully in the “Stock” class, which is based on production vehicles and will see a significant increase in the competitiveness of machines from 2026. The team will take on the Dakar Rally with a three-car team.
Defender will compete fully in the FIA World Rally Raid Championship (W2RC), the world’s toughest off-road motorsport series, which includes the Dakar Rally, from the 2026 season. The Defender Works Program, which has been confirmed for three seasons from 2026, will compete with two cars in all five W2RC races. A third car is planned to be entered each year in the Dakar Rally, which attracts the most attention.
The Defender rally raid vehicle to be entered in the W2RC will be developed in accordance with the FIA ”Stock” class. This production car-based category will be significantly more competitive with updated sporting and technical regulations in 2026, providing the perfect platform to demonstrate the Defender’s high off-road capability and durability.
The Defender’s D7x architecture is based on a lightweight aluminium monocoque construction, combined with a highly rigid body structure that is three times stiffer than conventional body-on-frame designs, enabling it to withstand the harsh conditions required in the Dakar.
Plans for test participation in W2RC in autumn 2025
The Defender is scheduled to take part in a test race in the W2RC in the autumn of 2025, before starting full-time participation in the Dakar Rally in 2026.
The Defender competition car development program is already underway, with a view to competing in a competition test event in the autumn of 2025. The team is also scheduled to make a full team announcement in preparation for its participation in the Dakar Rally in 2026. Defender Managing Director Mark Cameron commented on the factory team’s participation in the W2RC as follows:
“We are delighted to make this announcement just in time for the Dakar 2025. Defender has already demonstrated its capability and durability at the Dakar through our official vehicle partnership, and one year from now we will begin full participation in the FIA World Rally Raid Championship.”
“We’ve decided to compete in the ‘Stock’ class to showcase the toughness and reliability of the production Defender, and it will be an incredibly exciting sight to have all three Defender works cars together at the opening round of the Dakar Rally. There is a lot to do over the next 12 months, but testing and development of the Defender Works programme is progressing well.”
James Barclay, Managing Director of JLR Motorsport at Jaguar Land Rover, added:
“The team is already working hard on developing a Defender to compete in the Stock class, which will be even more competitive from 2026. We have been working together with the FIA, ASO and other manufacturers to develop these new regulations, which mark an exciting new chapter for the Dakar, W2RC and rally raid in general.”
“We look forward to sharing more news soon about the rally raid Defender currently under development. While the Defender will compete in the Dakar in 2026, we will play a key role as the Official Vehicle Partner of the W2RC in 2025. This year’s Dakar will see 20 Defenders supporting the event, which starts in Bisha and finishes in Shubaytah, Saudi Arabia, and transporting race officials and VIP media.”
