News from Europe reports that the Aston/Honda announcement is imminent. Marriage makes perfect sense. But what about Mercedes and Alonso?
When the same news starts coming from different places, that’s when something comes. It first appeared in the Italian Gazzetta dello Sport and some European vehicles have started to advertise it: the announcement of the Honda/Aston Martin link in F1 from 2026 should be done very soon.
This possibility was not under consideration today (we talk about it here). The Japanese, within the “go/no go” position of F1, after the refusal of Red Bull (which would be the first option), explored the market. Williams has been probed and there has been serious talk with McLaren, even after the turbulent period between 2015 and 2017. But the chosen one seems to be Aston Martin.
It’s a marriage that makes sense: Honda is a manufacturer that wants a stable base to work from. Aston Martin has made a huge investment in personnel and above all in a brand new factory, with the most modern equipment.
This year’s results show that Lawrence Stroll’s plans can work. With strong sponsors, a great facility and a strong partner supplying the engines, the equation can work.
What is said is that the announcement could be made by Honda at the weekend, taking advantage of the Monaco GP weekend, the most glamorous of the F1 calendar. And for Aston Martin it would also make perfect sense for the positioning of the brand, aimed at the premium segment.
If the marriage goes ahead, some questions will remain in the air: how are Mercedes and Fernando Alonso?
As for the first, Mercedes has an agreement for the supply of engines and reverse gear to the team until 2025. Since last year, the Germans have publicly declared their intention to re-evaluate their customers.
And it should be remembered that Mercedes is a shareholder of Aston, the car manufacturer. Today the German share is less than 2%, but British cars get engines and some other mechanical solutions. That’s not expected to change in the near term, even if China’s Geely has increased its stake in the company.
Speaking of Fernando Alonso: the Spaniard has a contract with the team and is not expected to drive in 2026. The two sides have already stated that, even after all the discussions that have taken place in the past, these are things of the past. However, it cannot be assumed that this agreement will only take place in a post-Alonso moment…
See if the news is confirmed. In theory it’s a marriage that makes sense and could be the confirmation of a new top F1 team. This has been Lawrence Stroll’s goal from the beginning. While automaker Aston Martin still has problems, the F1 team is dreaming of better days.
Source: Terra
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