- Original series charts the journey of Defender and goes behind‑the‑scenes as the Defender Rally team prepares for its Dakar debut
- New three‑part docuseries to be produced by Warner Bros. Discovery and narrated by Gillian Anderson
- Celebration of women in motorsport follows driver Sara Price as she competes for Defender Rally in one of motorsport’s toughest tests
- Episode one premieres in January ahead of the 2026 Dakar Rally across the globe on Eurosport and TNT Sports
A new docuseries detailing the debut of Defender at the 2026 Dakar Rally will be premiered by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), taking viewers behind‑the‑scenes to reveal how the team has prepared for one of motorsport’s toughest challenges.
The all‑new Defender Dakar D7X‑R will battle it out in the ‘Stock’ category for production‑based vehicles ahead of a three‑year campaign in the World Rally‑Raid Championship. While Defender Dakar D7X‑R has been modified for the challenging conditions, it retains the tough D7x body architecture, transmission and driveline and 4.4‑litre twin turbo V8 engine from Defender OCTA, the most capable production Defender ever made and recently crowned BBC Top Gear Off‑Roader of the Year 2026.
The three‑part docuseries produced by WBD will lift the bonnet on Defender’s journey to the start line, which has included extreme off‑road testing, and follow its world‑class driver and co‑driver line‑up of 14‑times Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel alongside Mika Metge; Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal; and trailblazing Sara Price with Sean Berriman, as they prepare for the ultimate test.
DEFENDER RALLY COMPLETES GRUELLING SAHARAN TEST OF FIRST COMPETITION-SPEC DEFENDER DAKAR D7X-R AS TEAM PRINCIPAL APPOINTED
Hollywood star and Emmy‑winning actress Gillian Anderson will narrate the series, which will celebrate women in motorsport. It includes unrivalled access, exclusive interviews and unique content captured with driver Sara Price, who made her Dakar debut last year after claiming 17 national motocross championships.
The first 45‑minute episode premieres on 3 January 2026 ahead of the race on WBD’s premium channels across Europe and Asia‑Pacific, including Eurosport and TNT Sports in the UK, Ireland and Latin America. Episodes two and three will air later in the year following filming at the next Dakar Rally.
Taking on Dakar is the ultimate challenge for Defender and we’re pushing ourselves to the limit to compete. We’ve taken the already capable Defender OCTA, retained much of its engineering and technology and made some motorsport modifications to create Dakar D7X‑R – the toughest Defender ever built. We’re delighted to be lifting the bonnet to give viewers unrivalled access of our journey to the start line.
Mark Cameron
Managing Director, Defender
Preparing for the legendary Dakar Rally has been incredibly intense and, as a team, we’re ready to make our competitive debut. We can’t wait for viewers to experience it with us. We’ve paired the most capable and toughest Defender ever made with an amazing team and unrivalled driver line‑up. It promises to be a special docuseries and an even more special race season.
Ian James
Team Principal of Defender Rally
For me personally, the Dakar Rally is so much more than just a race. It's one of the biggest challenges I've ever taken on in my life – physically, mentally and emotionally. I have competed at Dakar twice before. In my debut year in 2024, I won a stage and finished fourth overall in the SSV classification. Then in 2025, I achieved three stage wins.
After all my investment, sacrifice and hope, I am incredibly excited to be returning to the toughest race on earth with the Defender Rally team behind me, and with the ambition of fulfilling my ultimate dream – winning the Dakar Rally. I cannot wait to take it on.
Sara Price
driver for the Defender Rally team
As one of the world’s most recognisable storytellers, we have a passion for documenting inspiring stories of exploration and adventure which push the boundaries of what’s possible in sport. There is no better setting to achieve this than at the Dakar Rally, which in 2026 will welcome an iconic brand to its starting line for the first time as the Defender sets off on one of the toughest tests in motorsport.
By being embedded within the Defender Rally team, we will take viewers even closer to the sport and its drivers. This series is a perfect illustration of how WBD can work with global brands to amplify our sports rights portfolio, creating greater visibility of the race and its teams while painting an authentic picture of the ultimate high‑octane motorsport challenge.
Scott Young
EVP at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe
The docuseries will follow Defender's world‑class driver and co‑driver line‑up of 14‑times Dakar winner Stéphane Peterhansel alongside Mika Metge; Rokas Baciuška and Oriol Vidal; and trailblazing Sara Price with Sean Berriman, as they prepare for the ultimate test.
