Fernando Alonso leaves his car in the garage.
Alonso, after renewing his contract with Aston Martin, will compete with the power of Honda in 2026 as Formula 1 enters a new era of power unit regulations and cars.
This will not be the first time the Spanish driver has the support of the Japanese company, although all parties involved are hoping for a better outcome compared to their initial collaboration.
Alonso was behind the wheel of McLaren when Honda returned to F1 during the turbo-hybrid era, supplying power units to the Woking-based team from 2015 to 2017. Unfortunately, this partnership turned out to be a disaster.
Honda was unprepared for their comeback, as they were pressured by McLaren to speed up their return. The power units provided were both unreliable and lacking in performance. Despite McLaren’s claims that their chassis was exceptional, it was revealed that this was not the case when they switched to Renault power in 2018 after parting ways with Honda.
During that period, Alonso openly criticized Honda, reaching a peak during the 2015 Japanese Grand Prix, where he referred to the power unit as a “GP2 engine.”
However, with Honda becoming the power unit supplier for Aston Martin from 2026 and Alonso extending his contract, many believed this could be an issue.
However, Honda Racing Corporation President Koji Watanabe dismisses any concerns about their past relationship with the two-time F1 champion.
In an interview with Motorsport.com, he stated: “When I worked with him from 2015 to 2017, it was an extremely challenging situation for both Honda and the team. It was a period of great frustration in our history, and there were moments when our relationship was tense. However, I believe we became stronger by overcoming these difficulties. Alonso has also been actively involved since then.”
“I am glad that we were able to overcome this painful experience together and come together in search of victory once again. I have high hopes that we can work towards the championship as a team and emerge victorious,” expressed the Japanese engineer.
Watanabe revealed that they had little interaction with Alonso after securing the power unit supply agreement with Aston Martin, with whom they also discussed possible drivers.
“I had a conversation with him in Las Vegas,” he shared. “At that time, Alonso had not yet made a decision about his next contract. However, he joined us while we were in discussion with the team principal, Mike Krack. He wished us luck and expressed the desire to race together if the opportunity arises. Our conversation was brief.”
Watanabe also revealed: “We had several discussions with Aston Martin about our partnership, which will begin in 2026. Throughout this period, we exchanged views on drivers, and both Honda and Aston Martin agreed that Alonso is undoubtedly a first-class driver.”
“Aston Martin inquired about any objections from Honda if they were to extend Alonso’s contract. We kept them informed at various stages, but Honda did not make any specific requests in this regard. In the end, the team decided to extend Alonso’s contract after considering the type of driver lineup necessary for success,” Watanabe concluded.
After its challenging experience with McLaren, Honda began supplying power units to Toro Rosso (now RB) in 2018 and later to Red Bull Racing in 2019. This new partnership resulted in two F1 constructors’ championships (2022, 2023) and three driver titles for Max Verstappen (2021, 2022, 2023).
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Soccer star Lionel Messi scored a spectacular goal during last night’s match. The Argentine player, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain, once again showed his unparalleled talent by scoring a goal from outside the box. Messi’s goal was the turning point of the game, leading his team to a 2-1 victory.
The match started with both teams showing a good performance, but it was Messi who stole the show. At the 30th minute of the second half, he received the ball in midfield and, with a powerful and precise shot, sent the ball into the opponent’s goal’s top corner. The whole stadium went crazy with the goal and fans showered the player with praise.
Messi, who is considered by many as the greatest soccer player of all time, once again showed why he deserves that title. His talent and skill on the field are impressive, and he continues to astonish everyone with his incredible plays.
With this victory, Paris Saint-Germain remains at the top of the league, and Messi solidifies his position as one of the team’s key players. Fans are eager to see what more he can do this season, and expectations are high for the upcoming games.
There is no doubt that Lionel Messi is one of the biggest stars in soccer, and his spectacular goal from last night is just another example of his genius. Sports fans are delighted with his performance and can’t wait to see what he will do next. The soccer world is keeping a close eye on Messi, and for good reason. He truly is a living legend of the sport.
