Defender Dominates Desafío Ruta 40 With Triple Podium Finish in Argentina

Defender Rally delivered one of its most convincing performances yet at the 2026 Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina, securing a clean sweep of the Stock category podium while bringing all three Defender Dakar D7X- ₹safely to the finish of one of the toughest events on the World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) calendar.

Leading the charge was rally-raid icon Stéphane Peterhansel and co-driver Mika Metge, who clinched victory in the Stock class with a cumulative time of 18h 11m 12s after five demanding days of competition. Teammates Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal finished second, while Sara Price and Saydiie Gray completed the podium in third, giving Defender Rally a one-two-three finish in Argentina.

The result marks another significant milestone for the British off-road brand's growing rally-raid programme. More impressively, all three Defender Dakar D7X- ₹finished within the overall top 20 of the highly competitive Car category, placing 18th, 19th and 20th respectively despite competing in the production-based Stock class against purpose-built T1+ Ultimate machines.

Held across the rugged landscapes of Argentina's San Juan and Mendoza regions, the 2026 Desafío Ruta 40 covered 1,523 kilometres of timed special stages. Crews faced a punishing mix of high-altitude mountain passes, dry riverbeds, rocky terrain and vast sand dunes - conditions that have previously formed part of the Dakar Rally route and are widely regarded as some of the most demanding in rally-raid competition.

The final stage saw Baciuška and Vidal claim the fastest time, completing the 340km special stage in 2h 53m 05s. Peterhansel and Metge followed closely behind, with Price and Gray securing third on the stage to cap off a successful event for the team.

The rally also delivered a landmark moment for women in rally-raid. Sara Price and co-driver Saydiie Gray became the first all-female crew to compete in the history of Desafío Ruta 40, while also becoming the first female pairing to secure a stage victory during the event.

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The rally also delivered a landmark moment for women in rally-raid. Sara Price and co-driver Saydiie Gray became the first all-female crew to compete in the history of Desafío Ruta 40, while also becoming the first female pairing to secure a stage victory during the event.

For Peterhansel, a 14-time Dakar Rally winner, the victory was a reflection of both the car's capability and the team's development progress.

"Stage 5 was long and really demanding for both me and Mika, but especially for the car," said Peterhansel. "Overall, we won the race by nine minutes, so it's a really good result. I'm really happy with the team and the progress we made on the car during this race. We made improvements, and it was really fun to drive. Argentina has incredible fans and it's always special to race here."

The rally also delivered a landmark moment for women in rally-raid. Sara Price and co-driver Saydiie Gray became the first all-female crew to compete in the history of Desafío Ruta 40, while also becoming the first female pairing to secure a stage victory during the event. The rally additionally marked Gray's competitive debut with Defender Rally.

"It was tougher than I expected, with a lot of treacherous terrain, but we made it," said Price. "We didn't know what racing in Argentina in rally-raid would be like, so it was an incredible experience. We had good days and bad days, but overall we're leaving with valuable experience and a lot of positives."

At the centre of Defender's success was the Defender Dakar D7X-R, a competition vehicle derived from the production Defender OCTA.

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At the centre of Defender's success was the Defender Dakar D7X-R, a competition vehicle derived from the production Defender OCTA.

Meanwhile, Baciuška battled through illness during the event but still secured second place overall in class.

"The car performed really well throughout the rally," said the Lithuanian driver. "The mechanics and engineers did an amazing job, and we've finished with the car in great condition. I'm already looking forward to Morocco."

At the centre of Defender's success was the Defender Dakar D7X-R, a competition vehicle derived from the production Defender OCTA. While modified to comply with FIA rally-raid regulations through wider tracks, revised suspension geometry and enhanced cooling systems, the race car retains the production vehicle's D7x aluminium body architecture, driveline layout and transmission. The programme has been designed specifically to demonstrate the durability and capability of the Defender platform under the harshest motorsport conditions.

Defender Rally Team Principal Ian James believes the result validates the team's development trajectory.

"Argentina was undoubtedly a tough rally, but the Defender Dakar D7X-R did us proud," he said. "The fact that the car was able to compete at a pace comparable to the T1+ Ultimate category while completing every stage without major issues showcases the strength of the engineering behind it. It's also a testament to the work of our mechanics, engineers and crews."

The result strengthens Defender Rally's position in the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship and provides further momentum ahead of the next round, the Rallye du Maroc, which takes place from September 28 to October 3.

For Defender, Argentina was more than just another race weekend. It was a demonstration of reliability, pace and endurance, three qualities that remain the ultimate currency in the world of rally-raid competition.

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