Fernando Alonso tipped for ‘logical’ move for after Aston Martin ace’s F1 retirement

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Marc Coma believes Fernando Alonso returning to the Dakar Rally once the Aston Martin driver decides to retire from Formula 1 would be the ‘logical’ career move.

The CEO of KTM AG, Spain shared a cockpit with Alonso at the 2020 Dakar Rally for Toyota Gazoo Racing. Coma acted as the Spaniard’s navigator 18 years on from his first appearance at the Dakar Rally. He is even a five-time overall Dakar Rally champion in its motorbike class.

Alonso and Coma finished the 2020 Dakar Rally 13th overall, as Carlos Sainz Sr won in Saudi Arabia. The dad of Ferrari F1 driver, Carlos Sainz, took the finish with a four-hour, 42-minute and 47-second gap to Alonso. Runner-up Nasser Al-Attiyah finished six minutes off the lead.

Fernando Alonso has admitted winning the Dakar Rally is a ‘high priority’

Winning the Dakar Rally remains a priority for Alonso for once the Aston Martin driver elects to retire from Formula 1. He had some time away from the pinnacle of motorsport between 2019 and 2020. But the 42-year-old returned to F1 at Alpine for the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

“I will try 99% Dakar again,” Alonso said, via Dirt Fish, in September. “It’s not that the third [F1] world title is less of a priority. It is a priority. But winning [the] Dakar, for me, it is a high priority, as well.

“I will maybe have to attempt that race [for] eight [or] 10 years whatever until, maybe, one day I get lucky and I can fight for the win. But if I win in Formula 1, in endurance racing and in Dakar, that will feel, for me, something special as a driver and as a person.”

Alonso walked away from Formula 1 after four tough years with McLaren between 2015 and 2018. The Spaniard often lamented their Honda power units and the Woking team’s inability to fight at the front. But he would enjoy success in other categories through 2019 and 2020.

Toyota had already helped Alonso win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2018 and returned to win in 2019. Together, they also took the 2018/19 WEC LMP1 title. Konica Minolta Cadillac also gave Alonso one of their seats for the 2019 running of the 24 hours of Daytona and he won.

Marc Coma believes Fernando Alonso returning to the Dakar Rally is ‘logical’

Alonso would return to F1 with Alpine in 2021 before joining Aston Martin in 2023 on a two-year contract. He also enjoyed a ‘dream’ year in F1 with eight podiums across the 22 Grand Prix last year, more than the 2005 and 2006 champion had in his previous seven F1 seasons.

But the allure of the Dakar Rally remains strong for Alonso and Coma believes it is a ‘logical’ move for the Oviedo native once he retires from Formula 1. Their hopes of a victory in 2020 took a dent when Alonso rolled their Toyota Hilux twice on the penultimate marathon stage.

Coma has told Marca: “I love to see Fernando now, who is still there being competitive in Formula 1 with that hunger that he has always shown to have. It was fantastic. Sometimes I wonder how I ended up with him there, too. They are those stories from life that are nice.

“In a way, I find it logical [that Alonso will return]. The Dakar has an atmosphere and context that is very special. If you feel good in it, you will end up hooked from minute one.

“Formula 1 is very different from this. In the Dakar, there is a purer spirit without wanting to criticise Formula 1, but where you experience things that are impossible in Formula 1.”