Fernando Alonso plans to compete in the 2027 Dakar Rally driving a T1+ class vehicle carrying the Aston Martin brand, according to specialized motorsport reports. The information was published by the specialized website Soy Motor, which was founded among others by Antonio Lobato, leading many to believe the report blindly, and the story was also picked up by Mundo Deportivo with yesterday’s dateline.
Fernando Alonso Targets 2027 Dakar Rally Return
Fernando Alonso will target a return to the Dakar Rally in January 2027 at the wheel of a converted Aston Martin machine, according to the automotive portal Soy Motor. The specialist outlet reported that the two-time Formula 1 world champion intends to tackle the grueling off-road endurance event shortly after his current Formula 1 commitments with the British constructor.
Yet, the anticipated rally machine remains a separate commercial and athletic undertaking altogether.
Converted Prodrive Chassis Serves as Marketing Vehicle
The proposed rally entry utilizes a proven cross-country chassis rather than a scratch-built British prototype, specifically employing a T1+ premier category vehicle that is a former Dacia managed by Prodrive with its bodywork transformed into an Aston Martin. This machine serves as a corporate marketing vehicle that plants the luxury brand’s logo firmly into the world’s toughest rally raid without disrupting its core Formula 1 program.
This venture recalls Alonso’s debut appearance at the 2020 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, where he drove a Toyota Hilux Racing alongside five-time Dakar champion Marc Coma as his co-driver. That initial excursion ended with a 13th-place finish overall, establishing that the Asturian driver could survive the punishing dunes outside his open-wheel comfort zone. At 45 years old, the veteran racer continues to pursue competitive challenges that most modern Grand Prix drivers avoid entirely. As Alonso himself stated when renewing his contract, the races are my life, my passion and I know that I have the speed and determination to continue at the highest level.
ASO Evaluates Saudi Arabia or Morocco for 2027
Logistical questions surround the exact scheduling and host country for the 2027 edition, with the organization, Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), working on different plans to hold the raid next January while evaluating Saudi Arabia and Morocco as the two options.
A tight winter turnaround awaits the driver if the January dates hold firm. The 2027 Dakar is scheduled to be contested from January 1 to January 15, while Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain for next year is fixed from February 24 to February 27, leaving roughly six weeks of breathing room between the end of the desert rally and the start of the Grand Prix testing schedule so that Alonso would have plenty of margin to arrive at the training sessions wearing his Aston Martin overalls, even though a two-week raid is not exactly a vacation.
The Unanswered Questions Surrounding the Desert Project
Silence from both the driver’s management team and the Aston Martin factory leaves the venture unverified by primary sources. Stakeholders await an official confirmation from Silverstone or Madrid to determine if the 45-year-old Spaniard will officially return to desert rallying.
