WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY TO PRODUCE NEW ORIGINAL SERIES DOCUMENTING DEFENDER RALLY TEAM AT THE 2026 DAKAR RALLY

Motorsport’s most gruelling journey of exploration, exhilaration, innovation and inspiration will be storied like never before as Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announces plans to premiere a new docuseries charting the challenge of the Defender Rally team competing at the Dakar Rally for the first time.

The Defender Dakar D7X-R, modified for the challenging conditions from the production Defender OCTA, will battle it out in the Stock category at the Dakar Rally for the next three seasons with motorsport icon Sara Price joining 14-time Dakar Rally champion Stéphane Peterhansel and Rokas Baciuška to challenge for the title in the 2026 race, beginning on 3 January in Saudi Arabia.

The original docuseries produced by Warner Bros. Discovery will go behind-the-scenes of the most iconic off-road endurance race to shine a light on the team’s race preparations and race performance next year. It will also celebrate female empowerment in motorsport with unparalleled access to the team seeing exclusive interviews and unique content captured with driver, Sara Price, who made her debut at the Dakar Rally in 2024 after previously claiming 17 national motorcross championships. Combining her expert skills as a storyteller and passion for motorsport, Emmy-winning actress, author and activist Gillian Anderson OBE will narrate the series to bring viewers even closer to the action.

The first 45-minute episode in the three-part docuseries premieres on 3 January 2026 ahead of the 2026 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 taking place at the next Dakar Rally.

Scott Young, EVP at Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, said: “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 Rally team 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 create greater visibility of the race and its teams while painting an authentic picture of the ultimate high-octane motorsport challenge.”  

Mark Cameron, Managing Director, Defender, said: “Taking on Dakar is the ultimate challenge for us and we’re pushing ourselves to the limit to compete.”

Ian James, Team Principal of Defender Rally, said: “Preparing for the legendary Dakar Rally has been incredibly busy, and as a team, we ready to make our competitive debut. We can’t wait for viewers to experience this historic moment with us. We’re competing with the most capable and toughest model ever made and have paired it with an amazing team and unrivalled driver lineup. It promises to be a special docuseries and an even more special race season.”

Sara Price, driver for the Defender Rally team, said: "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, with the ambition of fulfilling my ultimate dream - winning the Dakar Rally. I cannot wait to take it on." 

The Dakar Rally is one of the world’s most gruelling and iconic off-road endurance motorsport races. First held in 1978 as a race from Paris to Dakar, the event now attracts more than 800 competitors and is designed to test human exploration, perseverance and innovation in one of the most demanding environments.

The 2026 Dakar Rally takes place from 3-17 January and is the sixth edition to be staged in Saudi Arabia. Drivers will set off from Yanbu located on the Red Sea coast as part of challenging 8,000km loop. The 48th edition of the historic race acts as the curtain raiser for the new World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) and sees a range of vehicles and teams competing in Bike, Car, Challenger, SSV, Stock, Truck, M1000 and Classic classes.

Warner Bros. Discovery connects millions of motorsport fans with the Dakar Rally each year across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region through its ongoing highlights coverage as part of a long-term rights partnership with race organiser and promoter, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO). The Dakar Rally forms part of WBD’s broad motorsport offer on two and four wheels with live coverage across Europe of the World Endurance Championship including the iconic 24 Hour of Le Mans, Formula E, Extreme H, WorldSBK, FIM Speedway GP as well as coverage of the entire MotoGP season in the UK and Ireland.