Fernando Alonso set for Dakar Rally return in Aston Martin-backed Prodrive car
NXTbets Pro | Published On: October 8, 2026
Alonso’s reported return
Alonso has reportedly agreed to stay with Aston Martin in Formula 1 for 2027 and make another run at the Dakar Rally that same year. The move would keep him tied to top-level circuit racing while sending him back to a demanding off-road event. His 2027 Dakar start would be his second in the rally, a return built on a previous trip that left him with a 13th-place finish for Toyota in 2020. That earlier effort showed how demanding the event can be, even for a driver with Alonso’s experience and range. A second Dakar attempt would extend a line of work that has already taken him beyond the usual Formula 1 schedule and into another branch of international motorsport. It would also add another high-profile chapter to his Aston Martin tenure if the reported plan comes together. The timing points to a driver still willing to balance one championship-level commitment with a separate challenge on rough terrain, with Dakar serving as the next major test on the calendar.
Aston Martin backing
The Dakar project is expected to center on an Aston Martin-backed Prodrive car based on the Dacia Sandrider. That detail gives the effort a clear technical shape. Marc Coma is likely to return as Alonso’s co-driver, which would give the entry a co-driver partnership behind the wheel in the desert stages. Alonso is also expected to work with former engineer Daniel Gratacos, adding another piece of support. Together, those names point to a program built around experience, continuity and specialist knowledge. The structure matters in Dakar, where navigation, preparation and teamwork can shape the result as much as raw pace. Alonso’s previous start showed he can take on the event’s demands, and the expected setup for 2027 suggests he would not be doing it alone. The reported combination of Prodrive, Coma and Gratacos gives the return a serious foundation and shows the level of planning attached to the project.
Dakar route ahead
The 2027 Dakar Rally is officially scheduled for Saudi Arabia, and organizers are also preparing a possible Morocco contingency because of security concerns in the Middle East. That backdrop gives Alonso’s expected return an added layer of uncertainty around the route, even before the field is set. Dakar has long required teams and drivers to adapt to changing conditions, and this edition appears no different with contingency planning already part of the picture. Aston Martin chief Mike Krack has said he generally likes drivers taking on other motorsport disciplines, though he would not speculate on Alonso’s plans. That position keeps the door open without adding fuel to the speculation surrounding the project. For Alonso, the reported Dakar move would sit alongside a Formula 1 commitment at Aston Martin and keep him in two very different forms of racing at once. The story also underscores how closely watched his next steps remain. When a driver of his stature is linked to both Formula 1 and Dakar at the same time, each piece of news carries weight, from the team backing to the event location to the co-driver and engineering support behind the entry.
