Fernando Alonso addresses surprise Dakar test after denying race entry

Fernando Alonso has insisted that his recent Dakar Rally test outing does not mean he will be competing in the 2027 edition of the event.

Earlier this month, the Spaniard insisted that it would be "impossible" to prepare for the Dakar Rally in January while also gearing up for another F1 campaign.

However, shortly after the comments were made, Alonso was spotted in Morocco with Prodrive, behind the wheel of a black-liveried car.

It sparked suggestions that Alonso's original comments may not have been genuine, but the two-time champion insisted that a Dakar entry is not on the cards for next year.

"Every week, I'm in a race car," Alonso told media including RacingNews365.

"I do a lot of karting, and there are no rumours that I will do the world championship. I drove in Barcelona with [Ayrton] Senna's car, and I was not doing the historic Grand Prix at any point.

"I love driving cars, and that's the nature of myself."

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Alonso: Dakar cannot be more different to F1

Alonso has competed at Dakar before, entering the race in 2020 for the first time during a stint away from the F1 schedule.

Having experienced what it takes to compete in the lengthy event, Alonso reiterated his stance that he will not be able to balance both F1 and Dakar.

"Dakar, after I did it in 2020, it was the most difficult challenge for me, for an F1 driver.

"It cannot be more different than F1 in terms of driving techniques and how to read the terrain, the way you drive the car with both feet, brake and throttle all the time to stabilise the car, and this kind of thing.

"It's completely the opposite of F1, so that's why it's appealing.

"But it is difficult to fit, especially in the same year, both challenges of F1 and Dakar."