Fernando Alonso is preparing his return to the Dakar Rally in 2027, according to information gathered by the Spanish site SoyMotor. The two-time Formula 1 world champion is set to compete with a car from the T1+ category, originally developed as the Dacia Sandrider by Prodrive and which will be visually transformed into Aston Martin.
The information is not official yet because the agreement has not been definitively signed, but SoyMotor claims the project has been underway for weeks. The cars and trucks are in the United Kingdom, already without the Dacia branding, while Alonso’s first test is scheduled to begin next week. The bodywork molds bearing the Aston Martin identity would not yet be ready for this initial session.
Alonso even hinted that news could surface by speaking ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. “Perhaps there will be more surprises in the coming weeks; there are things that people probably think are impossible, but I want to push the limits of what is possible,” he stated. According to the reporting, the reference was precisely to the Dakar return, a race the Spaniard competed in 2020, finishing 13th with a Toyota Hilux.
Marc Coma, who served as Alonso’s co-driver during that participation, is again the Spaniard’s choice for 2027. The former rider, five-time Dakar champion on two wheels, currently holds the role of director of the Rally of Morocco, but will return to the cockpit to recreate the partnership. Daniel Gratacós will be Alonso’s engineer for the first test.
The connection between Aston Martin and Prodrive is not new either. The two organizations have been collaborating since 2004 in GT racing, while David Richards, founder of Prodrive, has previously played a prominent role at Aston Martin itself. The project that will give rise to Alonso’s car comes from the evolution of the BRX and later the Dacia Sandrider, the model that won the Dakar with Nasser Al-Attiyah at the start of this year.
The site for Dakar 2027 has not yet been decided. The leading option remains Saudi Arabia, but the conflict in the Middle East could prompt teams to withdraw from participation. Morocco appears as an alternative to host the rally.
