Fernando Alonso has expressed full confidence that Aston Martin will bounce back strongly in 2027 despite the team’s troubled start to its first season with Honda power.
The Aston Martin-Honda partnership has endured a difficult opening to the 2026 campaign, with reliability issues preventing both cars from reaching the chequered flag in the early rounds. The Miami Grand Prix earlier this month marked the first time both machines finished a race this season, though both drivers remained well outside the points.
Alonso Sees No Alternative to Improvement
When asked whether he expects next year’s car to be more competitive, Alonso was emphatic.
100%, I have no doubt. If not, we go backwards.
The two-time world champion acknowledged the team is navigating its toughest period of the year but believes the situation will improve as development continues. Aston Martin’s team principal has previously stated confidence in the car’s potential to fight at the front of the grid once the teething problems are resolved.
Alonso framed the current struggles as part of the natural learning curve for a new partnership, particularly in the first year of F1’s overhauled technical regulations that feature a 50-50 split between combustion and electric power.
Power Unit Issues Among Key Concerns
The Spaniard pointed to both chassis and power unit problems as areas requiring attention throughout the remainder of the season.
We are in a tough moment, a tough situation, the toughest part of the year. Throughout this season, I’m pretty sure that we will go better and better when the improvements come, when we fix some issues. Also with the power unit and all these kind of things.
Despite the current setbacks, Alonso maintains that Aston Martin’s trajectory is clear. He emphasised that the team will enter the 2027 season far better prepared than it was for 2026, with a full year of data and development behind the new regulations and technical package.
Year Two Holds the Promise
For Alonso, the question is not whether Aston Martin will improve, but by how much. He drew a distinction between the team’s current state as a year-one project and what he expects when the partnership matures.
Next year, in year two, I have no doubts that the project is going to be more prepared than it has been in year one.
Aston Martin’s focus now shifts to extracting performance from the AMR26 across the remaining rounds while simultaneously developing next year’s challenger. The team has work to do in both reliability and outright pace, but Alonso’s message is clear: the foundations are there, and 2027 will prove it.
Aston Martin will look to build on its first double finish of the season when the championship resumes at the next round.