Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack expects Fernando Alonso will still be driving for them in 2026, when it begins using Honda’s power units.
The team and the engine manufacturer announced their new partnership yesterday. Honda will become Aston Martin’s power unit supplier when F1’s new engine regulations come into force for the 2026 season.
Alonso joined Aston Martin this season and is revelling in the team’s competitive car, taking four podiums from the first five races. Although at 41 he is the oldest driver on the grid, he has indicated he is prepared to continue racing.
He previously drove a Honda-powered McLaren between 2015 and 2017. However Honda’s first power units built to F1’s V6 hybrid turbo regulations were uncompetitive and unreliable, and Alonso made his unhappiness with their progress clear at times, notoriously referring to his “GP2 engine” during the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix.
Honda has enjoyed much greater success with Red Bull in recent years, powering the team to a string of wins and a championship double last year.
Krack therefore expects to see Alonso in an Aston-Martin Honda. “I think there’s no reason to think he should not be with us in the car in 2026,” he told media including RaceFans in Monaco today. “I mean, I cannot see one single reason why he would not be.”
Aston Martin has scaled its operations up rapidly in recent years as it aims to compete for championships. Krack said his driver was kept up to date on their plans to replace its customer Mercedes engine deal, though Alonso did not take part in the talks with Honda.
“Fernando was not involved in the discussion, but he was always kept in the loop,” said Krack, “We wanted to have his thoughts. We wanted to have his opinions, as we do with every topic because he’s a key member of the team, just as Lance [Stroll] is.
“We have a very good relationship with our drivers. You see it when you listen to the radio. So they are both always involved and we are fortunate to have also Pedro [de la Rosa], for example, who has also some relationships.
“So I think all in all, it’s a very strong team and we do not say the drivers out there, the engineers are there, it’s just one big group where everybody’s opinion counts.”
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2023 Monaco Grand Prix
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