Rikrikrik wrote: ↑06 Sep 2026, 23:59
KimiRai wrote: ↑06 Sep 2026, 22:25
There were rumors that Alonso would renew in Madrid, but he has just confirmed to the press that it won't happen next week. I think he waits to see if both sides of the car are on the right direction, Hungary & Zandvoort was a check but he still needs guarantees from the PU side that it won't be as bad next year. Or a plan B in case that happens...
People can say whatever they want, but for me, Alonso brings tremendous marketing value to Aston Martin. I think he’ll renew, but he’ll set conditions like Honda delivering something competitive by the start of 2027, or else securing another supplier for 2028. If Honda doesn't at least match Audi right from the start of the 2027 season, I doubt they’ll stay for 2028. Alonso has always said that his condition for renewing would be guarantees of progress.
My question is: is Honda capable of delivering an engine for next year that is at least competitive like the Renault engine was with Red Bull? not the best engine, but something with the aston can be able to compete in a decent level.
I agree with you that keeping Alonso for at least one more year before signing a big name is crucial, as the driver market is tied up at the moment. Piastri, Sainz and Gasly could be options for Aston Martin for 2028, if the team is doing better.
The question about Honda being able to build a competitive engine next year to rival Mercedes is obviously a no at this point, and Honda have said that themselves. I think they might be able to catch Audi by the end of next year, as they didn’t seem to get much from their ADOU package either.
Asked about the expected timeline for reaching the competitive level Honda is targeting, Orihara revealed: "It's difficult to say an exact time scale in Formula 1 because our performance is always relative to another competitor.
"After the summer shutdown, we want to go back to the racing field, and then we are working hard in the factory to bring an even bigger step for 2027, but, again, we should be realistic. "So, I think that at the beginning of 2027, maybe we will not have the best of the power units yet, but we will be closer to the top competitor. And then we keep pushing hard to be top competitor, I hope, in 2027 or 2028."
Hope is not a strategy. Hoping for something does not mean it will happen in 2027 or 2028. The facts are that Honda has the worst PU on the grid, and the spec 2 of the motor with ADOU is still way off the next weakest Audi engine for performance. The issue isn’t just outright engine power, it’s harvesting, deployment, drivability, and reliability. The deadliest thing for a fast car is a turd of an engine that is unreliable, and suffers from unpredictable performance. Ferrari brought 2 ADOU upgrades this season, and added 30hp to its already strong engine. Why isn’t Honda able to do 2 ADOU this season, as its engine is so atrocious?
Now Honda has 5 months to build a new engine / PU system for the revised 2027 regulations. It took them 3 years to have an engine that is around 30hp down to Audi, with miserable deployment and harvesting performance. I think based on the evidence of this Spec 2 motor, by 2028, Honda should have a solid package for the team. I am not expecting anything at all from them next year, except more torture on all of the high speed tracks on the calendar. I do think the chassis will get better, and the car could be in the top 4, with a good chance of points at Monaco, Singapore, and Hungary. But without a competitive PU, this team will be 9th or 10th again in the constructors championship, loosing sponsors and millions of dollars.
If Alonso said he is not signing anything at Madrid, then I also believe that there is something happening back at the team regarding Honda assurances, and almost certainly money. Alonso apparently needs 40 million reasons to stay next year to drive this green bus, and I don’t blame him one bit.
