Defender Rally’s Historic Argentina Charge Begins With All-Female Crew and Stage Win

Defender Rally continued its strong start to the 2026 FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) with an impressive showing at the Desafío Ruta 40 in Argentina, where the British off-road brand not only returned to competition in South America, but also marked a historic milestone with the event’s first officially entered all-female crew since the rally began in 2010.

The third round of the W2RC, held from May 24-29 in Argentina’s rugged Cuyo region, sees Defender fielding three Defender Dakar D7X-R machines in the Stock class. The production-based rally car, derived from the Defender OCTA, has already proven its capability this season after securing a class victory at the Dakar Rally and a strong finish in Portugal.

Heading into Argentina, Defender’s line-up featured championship leaders Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal, legendary Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel with co-driver Mika Metge, and American racer Sara Price paired with navigator Saydiie Gray.

The biggest talking point, however, was the pairing of Price and Gray. The US duo became the first all-female crew to officially compete at the Desafío Ruta 40, adding another landmark moment to Defender Rally’s growing motorsport programme.

Racer Sara Price (above) and navigator Saydiie Gray became the first all-female crew to officially compete at the Desafío Ruta 40. The US duo piloted the Defender Dakar D7X-R to a podium finish in Stage 1, while Stéphane Peterhansel secured victory in the Stock class

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Racer Sara Price (above) and navigator Saydiie Gray became the first all-female crew to officially compete at the Desafío Ruta 40. The US duo piloted the Defender Dakar D7X-R to a podium finish in Stage 1, while Stéphane Peterhansel secured victory in the Stock class

Saydiie Gray, making her debut as a Defender Rally navigator, said: “Joining Defender Rally team for the race in Argentina is a massive step for me and I’m buzzing to take on the challenge. Competing with a friend by my side just makes this even more special and makes me even more determined. We’re here to learn, push, and make our mark on the Desafío Ruta 40."

The rally itself presents one of the toughest challenges on the W2RC calendar. Spanning more than 2,700km with nearly 1,700km of timed stages, the route takes competitors through gravel tracks, volcanic sand dunes and rough terrain, including the demanding El Nihuil dunes.

“It’s time for another new challenge for our team," said Defender Rally Team Principal Ian James. “The Argentinian round features similar settings to the historic years of the Dakar Rally when it was held in South America. Every kilometre is a chance to improve, push harder and demonstrate what Defender is capable of."

Defender’s campaign got off to a near-perfect start in Stage 1, a demanding 340km loop around San Juan that featured canyons, riverbeds and fast salt flats. Peterhansel and Metge topped the Stock class in their Defender Dakar D7X-R with a stage time of 4hr 03min 07sec.

Baciuška and Vidal followed just 10 seconds behind, while Price and Gray finished third in class, only 35 seconds off the lead in what marked Gray’s first competitive W2RC stage with the team.

Built from the production-based Defender OCTA, the Dakar D7X-R continues to showcase impressive durability across some of the toughest rally raid terrain in the world.

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Built from the production-based Defender OCTA, the Dakar D7X-R continues to showcase impressive durability across some of the toughest rally raid terrain in the world.

Ian James praised the consistency of all three crews. “It’s always positive to see all three cars back safely," he said. “The cars were running incredibly closely all day, demonstrating the strong performance of the team. Also relative to the timing of the Ultimates, we’re seeing really strong running from all three cars in a new location."

Peterhansel, a multiple Dakar winner with extensive experience in South America, enjoyed the return to Argentina. “First, it was great to be back in Argentina," he said. “The car was perfect to be honest. Whenever I jump in the car again after a little break, I am wowed by its performance. We had a really good time driving today."

Championship leader Rokas Baciuška compared the stage to classic Dakar conditions. “The stage today was super interesting and a little like a Dakar Rally stage," he said. “At the end, we were stuck behind the Ultimates, so it was difficult driving in the dust, but overall everything was good."

For Sara Price, the opening stage was both physically demanding and emotionally rewarding, particularly with Gray making her W2RC navigation debut. “Stage 1 was tough," Price said. “There was a lot of dust, a lot of hard hits and unexpected ravines, but we worked together as a team and Saydiie aced it. It was her first time navigating at a rally of this stature, so it was pretty awesome to see her do so well."

At the heart of Defender’s campaign is the Defender Dakar D7X-R, a rally machine built on the same production line as the road-going Defender OCTA. Retaining the production bodyshell, driveline layout and D7x architecture, the vehicle has been modified with upgraded cooling, revised suspension and a wider track to meet FIA Stock class regulations and survive the brutal conditions of rally raid competition.

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