Honda will return as a factory Formula One supplier in partnership with Aston Martin in 2026 when F1 introduces new engine regulations.
Even if Fernando Alonso is still with the team.
Alonso and the engine maker had a nasty split in 2015 when the Spaniard was highly critical of Honda바카라s F1 efforts. He drives for Aston Martin now, and the team announced on Wednesday in Tokyo that it will have a works partnership with Honda beginning with the 2026 season.
Honda was lured back into a more prominent engine role in F1 with the upcoming new regulations, which are part of F1바카라s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. The engines beginning in 2026 will have an engine/electric motor maximum power output ratio of 50/50 and use 100% sustainable fuel.
Ford has said it plans to return to F1 in 2026 under the new regulations with Red Bull, while General Motors under its Cadillac banner wants in if Michael Andretti is granted a team.
Honda officially pulled out as a works program with Red Bull after the 2021 season 바카라 Max Verstappen바카라s first championship year 바카라 and it has only aided as a technical partner for both Red Bull and AlphaTauri since. Aston Martin gets its engines from Mercedes.
The FIA has so far approved for 2026 engines from Alpine, Audi, Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes and Red Bull with Ford. Audi will also be a new entrant.
As Honda announced its return, the very first question asked to the president of Honda Racing Corp. was if the engine maker is willing to work with Alonso. He바카라s having a career resurgence at 41 years old in his first season with Aston Martin, but he had a bitter split with Honda when Alonso drove for McLaren.
Alonso so badly angered Honda that it refused to work with him as a McLaren entrant in the Indianapolis 500. But if Alonso is still driving three seasons from now, Koji Watanabe said Honda would work with the driver.
바카라When it comes to Alonso, there were times in the past where we did have difficulties,바카라 Watanabe said through a translator. 바카라Since then, we have teamed up with Red Bull and we were able to win the world championship title. Alonso is a very outstanding driver and as far as Honda, we respect him. And of course it is up to the team to decide the drivers. But should he be selected, we will work with him.바카라
Martin Whitmarsh, group CEO of Aston Martin Performance Technologies, quickly noted that Alonso바카라s criticism eight years ago was during a race and should be long forgotten.
바카라I think this stems from something Fernando said in the heat of the battle a few years ago, which was regrettable,바카라 Whitmarsh said. 바카라He is a truly great driver. I think he바카라s developed not only as a driver, but in his thinking about being a team member, since that time.
바카라I am sure if he was driving with the same energy and commitment and skill and speed in 2026, we바카라d be delighted to have it in the team. However, 2026 is a few years away yet. We haven바카라t decided our driver lineup.바카라
Alonso is teammates with Lance Stroll, the son of team owner Lawrence Stroll. Both are having fantastic seasons; Alonso has four podium finishes through five races and ranks third in the F1 standings, while Stroll is a career-high eighth in the standings.
