Honda “will have no objections whatsoever” if Fernando Alonso is still one of Aston Martin’s drivers when its partnership begins in 2026.
Aston Martin will become the Honda works team from 2026 onwards as the Japanese manufacturer returns in a full supplier capacity under new power unit regulations after having officially pulled out of Formula 1 at the end of 2021. Prior to its successful partnership with Red Bull, Honda had a difficult three years with McLaren that led to Alonso becoming particularly critical of the company – including his infamous “GP2 engine” team radio message at Suzuka – but Koji Watanabe says there is no animosity towards the Spaniard.
“Our stance remains unchanged in thinking the selection of the drivers is fully up to the team members and not something that a partner and supplier like us is supposed to be making,” Watanabe, the president of Honda Racing Corporation, said. “So, we’ll be leaving the driver selection to the team.
“We have been accelerating our development during all our recent time in Formula 1, (including) while working with Alonso, and that enabled us to win the World Championship. I believe he’s such a brand and respectable driver, but, like I said, the selection of drivers is up to the team to decide. So, if the team decides we’ll have Alonso as a driver again, we will have no objections whatsoever in him driving.”
Alonso’s current deal runs until the end of 2024, but Aston Martin Performance Technologies group CEO Martin Whitmarsh – who helped instigate discussions that saw Honda return with McLaren back in 2015 – says he can see him staying for longer even if the 41-year-old’s potential presence wasn’t discussed with Honda.