Alonso reportedly targets 2027 Dakar Rally with Aston Martin backing
Fernando Alonso is reportedly set to combine his Formula 1 plans with a return to the Dakar Rally, after agreeing to remain with Aston Martin for 2027. Reports from Spain say the deal was reached in August, although neither the Dakar programme nor the team’s plans have been officially confirmed.
The move would extend Alonso’s reputation for taking on disciplines beyond F1. His earlier comments on his motorsport future highlighted his continuing interest in other categories and the challenge of adapting to different machinery.
A return to the Dakar
Alonso contested the rally with Toyota in 2020, finishing 13th. He has described his time away from Formula 1 as an opportunity to reset and learn from other series, after competing in the Indianapolis 500 and winning the Le Mans 24 Hours with Toyota in 2018 and 2019.
“I love challenges,” Alonso said, adding that he wants to keep exploring what is possible in motorsport. He also pointed to adapting across different cars, rules and championships as one of his strengths.
The proposed Aston Martin entry would use a car prepared by Prodrive and based on the Dacia Sandrider, which won the latest running of the Dakar in the hands of Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Fabian Lurquin. Dacia has announced it will end its World Rally-Raid Championship programme after 2026, a year earlier than originally planned.
Prodrive’s Sandrider project developed from the Hunter and was re-engineered with new bodywork and powertrain. One possibility under consideration is to badge the Aston Martin version as the Dreadnought, drawing on a virtual Aston Martin concept from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. Initial testing is reportedly expected in the coming weeks. Marc Coma, Alonso’s co-driver in 2020, is expected to return.
Wider programme and location remain uncertain
Prodrive is reportedly considering a full team rather than a single entry, with Al-Attiyah and Sébastien Loeb also named as possible drivers. These plans remain unconfirmed.
The rally’s 2027 location is also in question. Saudi Arabia remains the official host, with the event scheduled for 1–15 January and a published route of 13 stages and 5,320 competitive kilometres. However, reports say organisers are preparing a contingency option involving Morocco amid regional security uncertainty. A shorter event of around eight stages is reportedly being considered, but no move has been decided.
For Alonso, a Dakar return would revisit an event he has already tackled—and add another major off-road challenge to his varied racing record.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.