{"id":4144,"date":"2026-10-18T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=4144"},"modified":"2026-10-18T10:05:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T13:05:54","slug":"alonso-tests-dakar-car-in-morocco-days-after-ruling-out-2027-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/rally\/alonso-tests-dakar-car-in-morocco-days-after-ruling-out-2027-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Alonso tests Dakar car in Morocco days after ruling out 2027 return"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fernando Alonso tested a Prodrive rally-raid prototype in Morocco<\/strong>, accompanied by former Dakar co-driver Marc Coma.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The two-time F1 champion recently described combining Dakar and Formula 1 in 2027 as nearly impossible<\/strong>, making the test particularly surprising.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spanish reports suggest <strong>an Aston Martin-branded Dakar programme is being prepared<\/strong>, but Alonso and the manufacturer have not officially confirmed his participation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Fernando Alonso has tested a Dakar rally-raid prototype in Morocco just days after publicly questioning whether he could return to the event in 2027<\/strong>, with footage emerging of the two-time Formula 1 world champion driving a Prodrive-built car alongside his former co-driver Marc Coma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 45-year-old Spaniard completed private running in the Merzouga desert during Formula 1&#8217;s break between the Singapore and United States Grands Prix. The test was first documented by journalist Gerard Farr\u00e9, whose footage showed Alonso and the Prodrive team working with the prototype in Morocco.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <em>SoyMotor<\/em>, Alonso completed <strong>two days of testing<\/strong> with a vehicle derived from the Dacia Sandrider programme, which is expected to form the basis of a potential Aston Martin entry for the 2027 Dakar Rally. Coma, the five-time Dakar motorcycle winner who navigated for Alonso during his first appearance in 2020, was again involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The development contrasts with Alonso&#8217;s statements during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, when he insisted that preparing for Dakar while continuing to race in Formula 1 would be extremely difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Alonso tests in Morocco after dismissing Dakar rumours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Speaking during the FIA press conference in Singapore on October 8, Alonso was asked directly whether reports of a Dakar comeback were accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;I read those rumours, but no, I don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s possible physically,&#8221; he replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;It&#8217;s nearly impossible to fit two demanding programmes like a Formula 1 championship and Dakar.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Aston Martin driver also rejected suggestions that he was preparing a GT3 programme, explaining that competing successfully in another category required considerable preparation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;When I do the next challenge, I will announce it. It will not be a rumour,&#8221; Alonso said, adding that he would only commit when he considered himself sufficiently prepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The comments appeared to reduce the likelihood of a Dakar return in January. However, images recorded in Morocco only days later showed that Alonso had already begun evaluating the machinery associated with the reported project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The test does not establish that Alonso has signed a contract or committed to the 2027 edition. It does, however, confirm that his interest has progressed beyond preliminary discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/rally\/fernando-alonso-set-for-2027-dakar-return-with-aston-martin\/\"><strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO reported when the Aston Martin Dakar project first emerged<\/strong><\/a>, the proposed programme would reunite Alonso with Coma and use a Prodrive-developed prototype rather than the Toyota Hilux he drove during his first Dakar campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Alonso reunites with Marc Coma in Prodrive prototype<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The test took place in the dunes around Merzouga, a location frequently used by rally-raid teams because of its demanding desert terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <em>AS<\/em> and <em>SoyMotor<\/em>, Alonso drove a prototype based on the <strong>Dacia Sandrider<\/strong>, developed by British motorsport specialist Prodrive. The car is associated with a proposed Aston Martin-branded programme following Dacia&#8217;s planned withdrawal from factory rally-raid competition at the end of 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Spanish reports indicate that Alonso used a vehicle previously raced by Cristina Guti\u00e9rrez. Prodrive personnel supported the test, while a helicopter monitored the activity for safety reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Coma&#8217;s participation was particularly important because of his experience navigating the Dakar. The former motorcycle champion won the event five times before moving into rally organisation and four-wheel competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He partnered Alonso in 2020, helping the Spaniard adapt to roadbooks, navigation and the challenges of racing across unfamiliar terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Moroccan test allowed the pair to begin familiarising themselves with machinery that differs substantially from the Toyota used six years earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Prodrive has extensive experience developing rally-raid cars and has maintained a long-standing relationship with Aston Martin through GT and endurance racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The British organisation is expected to continue supporting the underlying Sandrider project, although the final branding and competitive structure for 2027 have not been officially announced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Aston Martin project could bring Alonso back to Dakar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The possibility of an Aston Martin-backed Dakar entry first emerged in early October, when Spanish reports suggested that Alonso had reached an agreement to return to the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The project is understood to involve Prodrive preparing a modified version of the Sandrider, potentially with revised bodywork and Aston Martin branding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/rally\/fernando-alonso-set-for-2027-dakar-return-with-aston-martin\/\"><strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO detailed in its original report<\/strong><\/a>, the proposal could extend beyond a single entry, with a wider team programme being considered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The relationship between Prodrive and Aston Martin makes such an arrangement technically plausible. Prodrive founder David Richards previously held senior responsibilities at the British manufacturer, while the company operated Aston Martin&#8217;s successful GT racing programmes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Sandrider also offers an established competitive platform. Nasser Al-Attiyah won the 2026 Dakar with Dacia, giving the project a proven foundation rather than requiring an entirely new rally-raid car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alonso&#8217;s involvement would bring another major name to a programme already associated with experienced Dakar competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, Aston Martin and Prodrive have not issued a joint announcement confirming the final entry list, the car&#8217;s name or Alonso&#8217;s participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Alonso finished 13th on his first Dakar attempt in 2020<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alonso previously competed in the Dakar Rally in January 2020, during his period away from Formula 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Driving a Toyota Hilux alongside Coma, he finished <strong>13th overall<\/strong> after two weeks of competition in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His campaign included competitive stage performances, but also incidents that cost substantial time, including a rollover during the tenth stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The result followed an extensive preparation programme that included appearances in rally-raid events and testing across different types of terrain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Alonso had already expanded his racing activities during his absence from Formula 1, winning the <strong>24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018 and 2019<\/strong>, securing the 2018\/19 World Endurance Championship title with Toyota and competing in the Indianapolis 500.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Dakar represented a different challenge because of the emphasis on navigation, terrain management and mechanical reliability over long distances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A second appearance would come under different circumstances. Alonso has extended his Formula 1 contract with Aston Martin for 2027, meaning that he would need to prepare for Dakar while remaining committed to a full Grand Prix season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That was the difficulty he highlighted in Singapore, even as the Moroccan test demonstrated that preparations for a possible return were continuing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Dakar 2027 remains scheduled for January amid uncertainty<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2027 Dakar Rally is officially scheduled for <strong>January 1\u201315 in Saudi Arabia<\/strong>, although organisers have been examining contingency plans because of the security situation in the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to <em>Reuters<\/em>, the Amaury Sport Organisation has considered modifications to the Saudi route. Spanish media have also reported a possible alternative involving a shorter event in Morocco, although neither arrangement has been officially adopted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A change of location could affect the logistics and preparation requirements for teams, including any potential programme involving Alonso.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For now, the two-time Formula 1 champion remains committed to Aston Martin&#8217;s Formula 1 campaign. His next Grand Prix appearance is scheduled for <strong>Austin on October 23\u201325<\/strong>, when the championship resumes at Circuit of The Americas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/strong> will follow Alonso&#8217;s future racing plans and the developments surrounding Dakar 2027 through its <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/rally\/\">rally coverage<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/\">Formula 1 section<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fernando Alonso completed a private test with Marc Coma in Morocco in a Prodrive-built rally-raid car linked to Aston Martin&#8217;s potential 2027 Dakar programme, despite recently questioning whether he could combine the event with Formula 1.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1020318048,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Fernando Alonso","42wp_featured_image_credits":"Aston Martin","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_ai_content_disclaimer":"","42wp_is_ai_content":false,"42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[{"id":93,"location":""}],"footnotes":"","42wp_breaking_news":false},"categories":[206],"tags":[100,871,101,761],"42wp_author":[93],"class_list":["post-4144","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-rally","tag-aston-martin","tag-dakar-rally","tag-fernando-alonso","tag-prodrive","42wp_author-marcos-gil"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4144","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4144"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4144\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4145,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4144\/revisions\/4145"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020318048"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4144"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4144"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4144"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=4144"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}