Fernando Alonso is preparing a 2027 Dakar comeback in a former Dacia Sandrider developed by Prodrive. The car would carry Aston Martin colours, with Marc Coma expected to return as his co-driver.
Spanish media outlet SoyMotor reports that preparations have started for Fernando Alonso's possible return to the Dakar Rally in 2027. Contract details are still being finalised, so the project is not official yet. If the plan goes ahead, Alonso would return to the T1+ category four years after his first Dakar.
The project is linked to Aston Martin and run by Prodrive. Alonso's next major challenge would look very different from the Bahrain Grand Prix held in Singapore, where he made an eighth-place comeback. This time, he is expected to take on the desert in a former Dacia Sandrider developed by Prodrive.
It would not be a new factory Aston Martin. The car would be an existing T1+ prototype adapted for the programme.
Reports indicate that initial tests of the prototype could begin in the coming weeks, although neither Aston Martin nor Prodrive has formally announced a testing programme.
The vehicle would receive external changes to carry Aston Martin's identity. Those changes would include bodywork elements and the brand's livery. Prodrive would remain responsible for the car's engineering and race operations.
That gives the project a direct link to Alonso's current Formula 1 team. Car and Driver España also describes it as a Prodrive-based programme, not a separate Aston Martin factory rally-raid operation.
David Richards leads Prodrive. The organisation developed the vehicle that previously raced under the Dacia name. Prodrive is therefore expected to provide the technical and sporting base, while Aston Martin's role would focus mainly on organisation and branding.
The structure is clear.
The initial plan may be limited to a single Dakar start in 2027, with no confirmed programme for subsequent rally-raid events. The project is consequently better described as an expected or agreed return than as an officially confirmed factory debut.
Alonso first competed in the Dakar in 2020. He drove a Toyota Hilux and finished 13th, with Marc Coma beside him. Coma, a Catalan driver and five-time Dakar motorcycle champion, is now expected to take the co-driver's seat again.
Coma currently serves as director of the Rally of Morocco. He had not ruled out competing again with Alonso. Their reunion would give the 2027 programme a link to Alonso's first Dakar attempt.
Before the Formula 1 weekend, Alonso had already hinted that another project was taking shape. He said more surprises could emerge in the following weeks. He also spoke about exploring what might still be possible. He did not name the Dakar, but the planned Aston Martin programme gives those comments a clear context.
The 2027 Dakar is scheduled for 1 to 15 January. Bahrain's next Formula 1 test is set for 24 to 27 February. The two events are separated by several weeks in the current calendar.
The timing also fits the reported connection between the rally programme and Alonso's Formula 1 contract. That contract is said to run through 2027.
This would be more than a badge change. Alonso would return to the category where he completed the Dakar, this time in a project tied to his current Formula 1 identity.
Contracts still need to be closed. Aston Martin, Prodrive and the Dakar organiser have not issued formal confirmation. For now, the project is an advanced plan, not a completed deal. The combination of Alonso, Prodrive, Aston Martin and Marc Coma nevertheless points to ambitions that extend beyond circuit racing.
