Honda stated it was able to reunite with Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso after the staff introduced an settlement to produce their engines from 2026.
The Japanese engine producer has stated it won’t have an effect on Aston Martin’s driver choice as soon as the 2 be a part of forces.
Alonso introduced embarrassment to Honda when he critiqued his engines at dwelling whereas racing for them and McLaren on the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix. His designation of his powertrains as a “GP2 engine” – in reference to F1’s main junior sequence on the time – shortly gained notoriety.
The 2-time world champion has joined Aston Martin on a multi-year contract this season. The 41-year-old had his most profitable season in 16 years, taking 4 podiums from the primary 5 races, and stated he intends to proceed racing.
This might result in a reunion of Alonso and Honda in 2026. Yesterday, Honda Racing Company president Koji Watanabe stated the producer will not have an effect on the staff’s number of drivers and isn’t towards becoming a member of forces with Alonso once more.
Requested by RaceFans, Watanabe stated, “The selection of race drivers is fully as much as the staff members and isn’t one thing a powertrain provider like us ought to do.” “So we’ll go away the driving force choice to the staff.”
Alonso raced with Honda Energy for 3 years earlier than McLaren reduce its relationship with the producer halfway. Watanabe credit the driving force’s contributions on the time for serving to Honda “win the world title” with Pink Bull in 2021.
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“I consider he’s a really nice and revered driver,” stated Watanabe. “If we’ll have Alonso as our driver once more, we’ve got no objection to him driving.”
Aston Martin Efficiency Applied sciences CEO Martin Whitmarsh glossed over “some feedback that had been in all probability as soon as made within the warmth of warfare and I believe fairly memorable for some” and helped Alonso point out the staff’s engine plans. He believes his driver “understands and respects what Honda is doing” and the progress they’ve made since their final work collectively.
“Clearly Fernando is doing an ideal job with the staff, I am very blissful to have him as a part of our staff and he is a big contributor each on and off the observe,” stated Whitmarsh. “Clearly, I talked to Fernando some time in the past concerning the course we wish to go. He’s a really clever particular person.”
Nonetheless, Whitmarsh doesn’t consider that Alonso has but thought of his profession plans by means of 2026. “If it is as match and aggressive as it’s at the moment, it could be nice to have it within the automotive in 2026,” he stated, including that it’s “in all probability exterior the planning horizon” in the meanwhile.
Throughout F1’s present V6 hybrid turbo engine period, Honda equipped two groups of McLaren and Pink Bull. These partnerships have prolonged to signing and supporting drivers.
Honda juniors are included within the driver improvement applications of McLaren and Pink Bull, in addition to these despatched to compete for Honda-backed groups in Japan’s Tremendous Components sequence. Accomplice Pink Bull and Honda junior Yuki Tsunoda has additionally spent the final three years racing for AlphaTauri, Pink Bull’s sister staff in F1.
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