Overview
- Photographers and multiple outlets reported this week that Fernando Alonso was seen driving a Prodrive-built rally-raid prototype near Merzouga, Morocco, with former Dakar winner Marc Coma involved in the running.
- Alonso told reporters he was simply enjoying one-off drives and again denied plans to race the Dakar in 2027, saying preparing for the January rally and a full F1 season would be difficult to combine.
- No contract, team entry or formal announcement has been made by Alonso, Prodrive, Aston Martin or Dakar organisers, so any Dakar entry remains unconfirmed and speculative.
- Reporting indicates Prodrive and Aston Martin have been developing a T1+‑style programme and prototype bodywork based on the Sandrider lineage, but those technical preparations do not equal a signed driver or team commitment.
- Alonso raced Dakar in 2020 and Prodrive has recent rally-raid success, so a switch of the route from Saudi Arabia to Morocco would cut travel time and materially improve the practical chances of an F1 driver attempting both campaigns.