Formula 1 could experience a totally unexpected seismic upheaval next season. According to AutoRacer, Aston Martin is in talks with Mercedes to supply them with engines from 2028. Alonso’s team would be preparing a Plan B in case Honda does not improve its power unit.
Aston Martin would have initiated a round of discussions also with Red Bull, in addition to Mercedes. The Plan A remains to use Honda’s engines, but Aston Martin does not want to waste more time and if they do not see improvement in 2027 they would embark on a 2028 switch, leaving Honda without a team in Formula 1.
Honda would be left without a team in Formula 1
The future of Fernando Alonso in Formula 1 could take an unexpected twist. According to the Italian outlet AutoRacer, Aston Martin has started discussions with both Mercedes and Red Bull to explore the possibility of using their engines from the 2028 season, that is, in about a year and a half.
Aston Martin’s plan A would be to continue relying on Honda, but Lawrence Stroll wants to have a fallback plan ready in case the Japanese do not deliver. What Aston Martin would want to avoid is getting trapped in a loop like McLaren with Honda between 2015 and 2017, when the Japanese could not hit the mark and ended up making each engine worse than the other.
A separation from Honda would be a blow to Formula 1 itself. After all, losing Alonso would leave Honda without teams to power, so the Japanese manufacturer would have to pull out of the World Championship. One would hope that before that happens, Liberty Media and the FIA do everything possible to ensure Honda has a competitive engine.
On the other hand, the intentions of both Mercedes and Red Bull would be questionable, as they would be violating an unnegotiable mantra of Formula 1 in recent decades: not giving Adrian Newey a competitive engine. In fact, Mercedes already provides its engine to McLaren, and they have become a nightmare for Red Bull.
Regarding Fernando Alonso, negotiations are underway with Aston Martin to renew his contract for two more seasons, precisely until 2028, though a 1+1 format is being discussed. If Aston Martin parts ways with Honda, Alonso would end up driving one final car with a competitive engine and Newey’s design.
The ball is in Honda’s court. In their hands is to focus on improving the engine and remaining in the Aston Martin project.
Images | Honda, Formula 1
