Honda wants to win the Formula 1 championship with Fernando Alonso, underlining the two-time world champion’s experience, motivation and trust in the Japanese manufacturer. The commitment comes as the newly turned 45-year-old prepares to decide whether to retire or continue with Aston Martin in 2027.
Fernando Alonso is expected to use the summer break to communicate his decision. Recent speculation has placed him further away from an Alpine return, leaving the Spaniard to choose between ending his Formula 1 career and extending his stay at the Silverstone-based team. Recent developments have already made Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin future appear clearer.
Fernando Alonso approaches crucial Aston Martin future decision
Aston Martin was well aware that its upgrades for the Hungarian Grand Prix would play an important role in shaping the outlook for the remainder of the season. The encouraging results at the Hungaroring, followed by the introduction of the new Honda power unit upgraded with ADUO during the subsequent filming day, represent positive signals that could persuade Fernando Alonso to continue his Aston Martin journey in 2027.
The improvements arrived after an extremely difficult first half of the season for the team. Aston Martin’s progress in Hungary and the potential for further development of the upgraded AMR26B package have therefore provided Fernando Alonso with more encouraging evidence before he makes his final decision.
The team’s step forward was also reflected in the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix results and final classification, offering Aston Martin renewed hope after its deeply disappointing start to the campaign.
Shintaro Orihara highlights Fernando Alonso’s value to Honda
Honda also has positive feelings about the possibility of Fernando Alonso remaining with Aston Martin. Shintaro Orihara, the Japanese manufacturer’s trackside general manager and chief engineer, emphasised the passion and dedication the Spaniard continued to demonstrate throughout a bleak opening half of the season.
“Fernando has enormous experience, and his feedback is always crucial,” Shintaro Orihara told RacingNews365. “So, if Fernando gives us a technical indication, we have to respect his opinion.”
Fernando Alonso’s detailed feedback has become particularly valuable as Honda works to improve the performance and driveability of its power unit. Despite Aston Martin’s early difficulties, his motivation to help the project move forward has not diminished.
“After every session, we always hold a briefing, but Fernando has enormous motivation and passion to improve the car’s performance,” Shintaro Orihara added. “He makes many requests of us, and we always respect his opinion. We are very interested in listening to and considering his comments.
“That is a major advantage of working with Fernando. He has enormous motivation to improve the car’s performance.”
Honda wants to win the F1 championship with Fernando Alonso
Honda’s objective extends far beyond simply providing Fernando Alonso with a more competitive package. The manufacturer ultimately wants to help the Spaniard challenge for a third Formula 1 World Championship.
“Our goal is to win the championship with him,” Shintaro Orihara said. “We are working closely together and we know he is a great driver. He has great passion and trusts Honda; we want to give him what he wants.”
Honda’s ambition undoubtedly aligns with that of Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll and designer Adrian Newey. All three want to establish the foundations for a significantly more competitive 2027 campaign following the failure of the AMR26 to meet expectations.
Adrian Newey has accepted responsibility for the project’s shortcomings and is determined to respond by improving Aston Martin’s next car. However, Honda must also provide a concrete answer by delivering a power unit capable of giving Fernando Alonso the performance he needs.
The next few weeks could consequently prove decisive for Aston Martin’s longer-term plans. Encouraging development from both the chassis and power-unit programmes may help convince Fernando Alonso to continue, but the final decision over his 2027 Formula 1 future remains in the Spaniard’s hands.
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