60-year-old driver returns to Dakar Rally! He's a true legend
In January, for the first time since 1994, Peterhansel decided to take a break from racing in the iconic race. "Mr. Dakar" boasts an impressive record of 14 victories, including six in the motorcycle category and eight in the car category. The legendary driver has written cross-country rally history by delivering unforgettable moments and spectacular victories. He last triumphed in 2021. No one is a better symbol of the rally, which after competing in Africa moved to the roads of South America and then to the sands of Saudi Arabia.
Defender has announced that it will compete in the 2026 Dakar Rally with its D7XR model, entered in the new Stock category, which is closer to production vehicles than the Ultimate category.
The news was officially announced after the British brand tested in the Moroccan desert. Peterhansel's teammate will be 25-year-old Lithuanian Rokas Baciuska and a third driver, whose identity is not yet known. It is not yet known who will be Peterhansel's co-driver. The last, Frenchman Edouard Boulanger, who sat next to him in Audi in 2024, now forms a tandem with Qatari Nasser Al-Attiyah in Dacia.
The great return to the Dakar Rally! "A new chapter"“I am very happy to start this new chapter with Defender,” explained Peterhansel.
"Although I have competed in many Dakars, both on a bike and in a car, I am looking forward to joining the Stock category and taking on this challenge. The team is really committed to this championship and has a passion for winning. I hope that together we can bring the Defender to the top of the podium," he concluded.
The Dakar Rally has many heroes. The most important place in the informal "hall of fame" is occupied by Peterhansel. The Frenchman won a record 83 stages in total. The second in this respect, Russian Vladimir Chagin, was the best on 63 stages in the truck competition.
Source of information: Polish Press Agency
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