Honda announces F1 return with Aston Martin – and would even welcome Fernando Alonso reunion

Honda says it would have no objection to Fernando Alonso racing on for Aston Martin from 2026 after announcing its return to Formula One as a full works partner of the Silverstone-based team from that year.

The Spaniard was famously critical of the Japanese manufacturer during a disastrous period together at McLaren. Alonso embarrassed Honda at its home Japanese Grand Prix in 2015 when he said over the radio that the McLaren had a "GP2 engine".

In March 2017, with McLaren and Honda heading for a split, Alonso declared: "We have only one problem, and that is the power unit. There is no reliability and there is no power.”

Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) president Koji Watanabe said that was water under the bridge as far as he was concerned.

”We have no objections whatsoever in him driving," Watanabe told reporters after announcing on Wednesday that Honda would be powering Aston Martin's title ambitions when the sport enters its new engine era in 2026.

It may be a moot point with Alonso turning 42 in July. But the Spaniard, who won world titles with Renault in 2005 and 2006, is enjoying a late career renaissance having been signed by Aston Martin this season.

Alonso has four third places in five races and Aston Martin's Group CEO of performance technologies, Martin Whitmarsh, admitted he would love to see him continue.

"He's making a great contribution both on and off the track,” Whitmarsh said, dismissing concerns over Alonso’s relationship with Honda. “Obviously I spoke to Fernando a little while ago about the direction we intended to go.