Defender signs trailblazer Sara Price for 2026 Dakar debut

Defender has enlisted the exceptional talents of Sara Price, a trailblazing American rally driver and former motocross champion, to join its team for the 2026 edition of the Dakar Rally.

This pivotal signing completes Defender’s formidable driver line-up as the adventure brand makes its exciting competitive debut in the renowned extreme off-road challenge that stretches across treacherous terrains and daunting landscapes.

With her impressive resumé, Sara Price joins the illustrious ranks of fourteen-time Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel and rising star Rokas Baciuška, forming a powerful trio of competitors in the ‘Stock’ category, which showcases production-based vehicles. The 2026 Dakar Rally, slated for January, represents a significant milestone for Defender as it eyes to carve out its legacy in the thrilling world of rally-raid competition.

Sara’s journey began at the tender age of eight in Southern California, where her affinity for speed and competition propelled her to seize an astounding 19 national championships within just eight years. Her early career included accolades such as an X-Games medal, but her ambitions did not stop there. Transitioning to four-wheel racing, Sara rapidly accumulated success across various off-road disciplines, notably clinching victories in the legendary Baja Series SCORE International as a Trophy Truck driver. Furthermore, her tenure with Chip Ganassi Racing in the all-electric rallying championship, Extreme E, saw her become the team’s first female race winner.

Sara made her Dakar Rally debut in 2024 in the SSV class, where she made waves by becoming the first American woman, and only the third woman overall, to win a stage in this grueling race. Finishing fourth overall and earning the title of best rookie reinforced her status as one of the fiercest competitors in rallying today.

Expressing her excitement about joining the Defender team, Sara stated: “To join the works Defender team in its competitive debut at the Dakar Rally will be a huge honour. The Dakar Rally is the pinnacle of rally-raid competition and I’m extremely proud to have competed in this competition before. Defender is an iconic vehicle with extreme capabilities, and to drive for this British adventure brand at such a significant moment is an amazing accomplishment for me.”

Mark Cameron, Managing Director of Defender, echoed the enthusiasm, stating, “Wheels are well and truly in motion for our Dakar Rally debut. Testing is going well, and we have now completed our driver line-up. Signing the brilliantly talented Sara Price is a huge moment for Defender. We have a powerful, capable and durable 4×4 in the Defender Dakar D7X-R, and our skilled and strong-minded drivers will showcase Defender as well as explore the limits of human endurance as they navigate the desert dunes and arid plains of the Dakar Rally in January.”

Defender continues making strides in its preparation for the 2026 World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC), having successfully completed a series of tests across diverse off-road environments.