Alonso at Dakar 2027? The Aston Martin Rumor and His Reply

A two-time Formula 1 champion, a Dacia-based desert rocket wearing Aston Martin green, and a possible name borrowed from a video game. If you wrote that as a rally-raid fan fiction pitch, an editor would ask you to tone it down. Yet that's roughly what the rumor mill is serving up for Dakar 2027.

What the reports say

According to Motorsport.com, Fernando Alonso is understood to be heading back to Dakar with Aston Martin. The report says the deal was discussed as early as August before it leaked through Spanish media. SoyMotor also reported a 2027 return with Aston Martin support.

The reported machine is an Aston Martin-branded car prepared by Prodrive and based on the Dacia Sandrider. That's the car that won the latest Dakar with Nasser Al-Attiyah and co-driver Fabian Lurquin. The reports say first tests are due within weeks.

There's a naming idea floating around too. One reported option is to badge the car the Dreadnought, after an Aston Martin concept in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, with matching bodywork. Nothing says that's settled. Still, a real race car named after a video game concept is a very 2020s sentence.

Who else is in the story

Marc Coma, who co-drove for Alonso in 2020, is reportedly expected to return in the right seat. Prodrive is said to be planning a full team, and Spanish reports name Al-Attiyah and Sebastien Loeb as possible drivers. Those are reports, not announcements.

Alonso finished 13th at Dakar 2020 with Toyota. He has since renewed with Aston Martin in F1.

Alonso pumps the brakes

Speaking in Singapore, Alonso said he had read the rumors but doesn't think it's possible. His reasoning is that fitting Formula 1 and Dakar together is physically nearly impossible. He added that when he takes on his next challenge, he'll announce it himself. There is no official confirmation of any programme.

Worth noting: a driver saying he doesn't think something is possible is a long way from a signed contract, and also a long way from a flat denial. We'll leave it there, because the source does too.

The Sandrider's clock is ticking

Dacia has said it will end its W2RC programme at the end of 2026, a year earlier than planned. So a Sandrider-based car would be carrying on a design whose factory effort is wrapping up. That's the part of the story with an actual statement behind it.

Where will Dakar 2027 even be?

Officially, Dakar 2027 runs in Saudi Arabia from 1 to 15 January, covering 13 stages and 5,320 km of competitive running. Because of the security situation in the Middle East, ASO is reportedly preparing a contingency plan with Morocco as host, possibly with around eight stages. No decision has been made.

What it means for you

If you follow Dakar or you're planning a rally raid build or trip, treat the Alonso entry talk as an unconfirmed rumor that the man himself has played down. Entry list gossip is fun, but don't plan around it.

The more practical detail is the event itself. The 2027 host country may change and the route could get shorter, so check official ASO updates before you book travel or support plans. And if you're a fan of Sandrider-based machinery, Dacia's W2RC programme is ending after 2026.

Keep the coffee warm, keep one eye on the official announcements, and let Alonso tell you when it's real. He says he will.

Sources: motorsport.com, sports.yahoo.com, grandprix247.com. Photo by Kvnga on Unsplash.