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JLR will compete at the 2026 Dakar Rally as part of a wider multi-year partnership with the event. The British company will compete with its Defender brand – now a brand in its own right following …
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will participate in the 2026 Dakar Rally as part of a multi-year partnership with the event. The company will compete using its Defender brand, which became an independent brand after a restructuring in June. Details about the project are limited, with more information set to be revealed during the 2025 Dakar Rally in January. Defender managing director Mark Cameron expressed excitement about the partnership, highlighting the brand’s adventurous DNA. JLR’s motorsport managing director James Barclay will lead the Defender Dakar works team, marking the company’s second factory-backed motorsport effort alongside Jaguar’s participation in Formula E. Apart from competing, Defender will also provide cars for officials, VIPs, and route reconnaissance during the Dakar event. David Castera, the Dakar rally director, welcomed Defender as the new official car partner, emphasizing the brand’s shared values of adventure, performance, and innovation.
