On Wednesday, it was announced that Honda would rejoin F1 as Aston Martin’s full powerplant manufacturer, starting in 2026 when F1 introduces a new engine recipe.
Martin Whitmarsh, chief executive of Aston Martin Performance Technology Group, explained that Silverstone must be independent to achieve continued success, freeing itself from its current engine and transmission supplier Mercedes, which it also acquired from Mercedes. Des rented a wind tunnel.
Plus: Aston Martin’s Honda decision reveals its true state of mind
“It’s clear to us, and I think for Honda, that the 2026 Formula 1 regulations will require a fully integrated chassis and power unit, which can only be provided by a full working team relationship,” he said.
“If you want to win it means beating Mercedes, it’s extremely difficult to beat an organization as good as Mercedes if you rely on Mercedes’ intellectual property, facilities, components, So from my point of view, it’s very, very difficult to consistently win championships without having a full working relationship.”
But while Alonso shared Whitmarsh’s enthusiasm for the Japanese giant’s arrival, he replied “no” when asked if Aston needed a working engine to win the world title.
He said waiting for Honda didn’t mean Aston Martin couldn’t win the title in the next two seasons.
“Especially in 2026, when the new revelation comes, it’s always better if you can develop the power unit together with the chassis and integrate everything in advance,” he said.
“There are only benefits to being a factory team, but that doesn’t mean Aston Martin won’t have a chance of winning the title until 2026.”
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team
Photography: FIA Pool
Attracting Honda is the latest coup, according to Alonso, underscoring the ambitions of the Lawrence Stroll-led team. Aston will move into a brand new, state-of-the-art factory in Silverstone, while a new wind tunnel is also being built.
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“It’s great news for the team. Very excited. I think it shows that Aston Martin is committed to really winning races, winning championships independently in the future, making their own gearboxes and everything on the car.
“It’s probably the only way to be really 100 per cent sure that you can control everything in the package, in your car. That bodes well for everyone at Aston Martin. You know the desire to win and The potential is there.”
Alonso will be 44 when the 2026 season starts, but he dodged the question of whether he would still be there when Honda joined.
“I don’t know what I’ll be doing in 2026,” he said. “I would be lying if I told you I now know.
“It’s too far away to really have an idea, so I have to focus and focus on this year.”
Esteban Ocon had a great Sunday afternoon. Across the streets of Monaco, the Frenchman appeared to be at one with his Alps, which eventually even earned him a podium finish. Ocon told a news conference that he looked back on the weekend with a very good feeling.
The Red Bull driver was last in Sunday’s race and was out in Q1 qualifying.
He went on to make five pit stops in a dismal race that saw him twice passed by team-mate and race winner Max Verstappen, who now leads the championship by 39 points.
Although it marked Perez’s first game of the season without scoring, the Mexican said his error was “costly” and “unacceptable”.
He said: “We paid for my mistake and it was very costly. I just have to apologize to my whole team because it was unacceptable for this kind of mistake to be made.
“I have to move on and learn from it, I can’t afford another zero in the tournament.”
Despite the poor finish, Perez had a “very good” start to the race, finishing 15th on lap 30, but dropped back into the standings after a couple of incidents and a period of rain.
He also collided with Haas driver Kevin Magnussen in the corner on lap 34, breaking his front wing.
Perez said he “didn’t know what happened” but was “considerably hurt” by the incident.
He added: “It went well. Unfortunately I hit traffic early on and that put us back where we were. Then it rained and we were one of the last to pit.
Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19, Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo C43
“Then I cut the wall and it all became a mess. Me and Magnussen broke my front wing and he just came out of the chicane (deeply) and it went bad.
“When you’re in those positions, you’re always taking a lot of risks.”
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Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said it had been a “bad weekend” for Perez, blaming the poor result on a crash in qualifying that “put you at a disadvantage”.
He also said Perez was inside Ocon’s maintenance window before getting stuck behind slow-moving traffic.
Horner said: “We took a very aggressive strategy. Stopped on the first lap and you could see how fast he was in the free space and how much the others were saving.
“He actually came back inside the pit window on Esteban Ocon, and then (Logan) Sargeant and the slow car started to struggle and, of course, you couldn’t overtake.
“Then he got involved in a melee with (George) Russell and damaged the front wing. It was just one of those weekends where he got nothing done.
“He saved a lot of money in the pool, so he might need a new pair of underwear after that.
“For him, it’s just one of those weekends where[he should]turn the page and I think for him, the sooner he gets to Barcelona the better.”
Max Verstappen gave a masterclass in the narrow streets of Monte Carlo. The Dutchman once again showed his raw talent, whether in the rain or on dry tarmac. If the Dutchman fails to win, there are still two contenders for the title. Teammate Sergio Perez and his friend Fernando Alonso. Will the Spaniard get another chance at victory soon? Verstappen responded at a press conference.