The Japanese manufacturer has announced it will be Aston Martin’s partner from 2026, following its commitment to officially return to F1 just three years after announcing its departure from the programme.

A deal with Aston Martin means a possible re-link with Alonso, who has had a checkered past with Honda.

The Spaniard bore the brunt of Honda’s initial struggles when he returned to F1 with McLaren in 2015.

At the Japanese Grand Prix that year, Alonso famously delivered the broadcast message “GP2 engine, aaaarrgggh” in front of Honda’s senior management, as he continued to be frustrated with engine problems.

Alonso later regretted the use of those words, but the incident has become iconic in structuring the situation he was in at the time.

While Honda bosses were not impressed by Alonso’s remarks, its current boss is well aware that there is no lingering distress over the matter.

Asked if Honda would allow Alonso to drive one of the cars, Honda Motorsport president Koji Watanabe said: “If we work with Alonso again, as our driver, we have no problem with his driving. .”

Alonso’s presence at Aston Martin until 2026 is not guaranteed, as he will turn 45 that year. However, the double world champion is showing no signs of lacking commitment or pace right now.

Aston Martin Performance Technology Group chief executive Martin Whitmarsh explained that Alonso’s presence in the team was never a point of discussion with Honda, despite the history between them.

“No, it’s not,” he said. “Obviously, Fernando has been outstanding in the team and we are delighted to have him as part of our team. He has made a huge contribution both on and off the track.

McLaren MP4-30 Honda’s Fernando Alonso pulls off track with engine problem

Photography: Steve Etherington/ motorsport pictures

“Obviously, I just spoke to Fernando about the direction we’re going to go. He’s a very bright guy.

“I’m sure everyone mentioned some of the comments, probably in the heat of the fight, that were very memorable to some people. But I think he understood and respected what Honda did.”

Whitmarsh said Alonso was well aware of Honda’s status quo in F1, as Red Bull’s champion was a far cry from McLaren’s first foray into the turbo-hybrid era.

He added: “Honda won the World Championships in ’21 and ’22, and unless we can beat them this year, they’re going to do it again. So they’ve been a really good partner for us. I think Fernando Saw this.

“But 2026 may not be in his plans at the moment. We have to give him a car that can win races consistently. We’ve taken a reasonable step forward this year, but we’re not where we need to be.

“We are continuing to develop the team and the facility and we will be stronger. We will have discussions until 2026 and I am sure about Fernando, where is Fernando and where is his future.

“I hope he’s here for many years, and it would be great if he was as fit and competitive as he is today. Then it would be great to have him in the car in 2026.”

Honda said it does not intend to be involved in any driver decisions for Aston Martin.

Watanabe explained: “Our stance remains the same, I think the choice of the racer is entirely up to the team, not something a power unit supplier like us should do. We will leave the choice of the driver to the team.”