Defender Rally takes full Stock podium at W2RC Portugal

Defender Rally secured a full podium in the Stock class at the W2RC Portugal round, as reported by JLR, highlighting performance of the Defender Dakar D7X-R.

Defender Rally secured a full podium sweep in the Stock category at the World Rally-Raid Championship round in Portugal — a result achieved in the team’s first full season in the series.

Three crews, three cars and three finishes — a rare outcome even among established factory teams. Stéphane Peterhansel and Mika Metge claimed victory with a time of 11:57:33, followed closely by Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal, while Sara Price and Sean Berriman completed the podium. All three cars reached the finish despite demanding conditions that included mud, water crossings, forests and narrow tracks.

This result stands out not only because of total control over the class, but also due to the broader context: Defender competes in the Stock category, where vehicles remain closely related to production models. Throughout the rally, however, the crews posted times comparable to those in the faster Ultimate class, which features purpose-built prototypes.

The route, covering around 6600 km across Portugal and Spain, included five stages with varied terrain — from coastal sand to rocky and forest sections. The final stage was won by Baciuška and Vidal, but the overall victory remained with Peterhansel. In the overall car standings, Defender crews placed 16th, 17th and 30th.

The Defender Dakar D7X-R is based on the production Defender, retaining its aluminium D7x architecture and all-wheel-drive layout, while being adapted to meet FIA regulations. It is powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 and modified for extreme conditions with upgraded suspension and enhanced cooling.

The event forms part of the World Rally-Raid Championship, a series launched in 2022 that brings together major rally-raid competitions including Dakar. Defender only entered W2RC in 2026 as part of a multi-year programme, and early results are already significant: earlier in the season, the team secured a Stock category victory at Dakar.

The next round of the championship will take place in Argentina at the end of May. Based on current performance, Defender continues to establish itself as a key contender in its class.