Mercedes has been far off the pace in the last two years and the Silver Arrows have failed to match the speed of Aston Martin this term, a team that gets its engines from Mercedes itself.
To add salt to their wounds, Aston Martin is now set to end this partnership as it looks to find a better engine supplier starting 2026.
A report, which was initially released in Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, suggests that Aston Martin will opt for Honda engines instead of Mercedes in 2026.
Honda currently enjoys a somewhat strange status in the sport, as they have officially been out of it as a company in 2021, but still provide Red Bull with engines that are manufactured in Japan and shipped to AlphaTauri.
The engines come marked as ‘RBPT’ and are there for Red Bull to use exclusively.
However, things will change in 2026 when Ford enters the picture and the American manufacturer has already disclosed its partnership details with the constructors’ championship leaders.
In this case, it leaves Honda without any link in F1 at all. Judging by Honda’s years of experience in the sport and Red Bull’s extraordinary rise in recent years, Aston Martin seems to have gauged that they are a valuable partner to get on board.
However, according to Gazzetta, Honda will officially return in 2026 as the supplier for Aston Martin. Sources close to Honda have suggested that this deal will run from 2026 to 2030.
F1 will introduce new technical regulations starting from 2026 which will see a greater emphasis on the electrical power generation of the units. These regulations have already done enough to convince the likes of Audi and Ford to join the F1 bandwagon.
Honda, too, has expressed a desire to continue its association in the sport in some respect and the Aston Martin deal seems like the perfect fit for both parties.
Aston Martin has relied on Mercedes for its engine ever since 2009, when it ran under the name Force India.
It goes without saying that Lawrence Stroll’s takeover of the team has drastically rebranded its identity.
As far as the constructors’ championship is concerned, Aston Martin sits at an enviable second position this year, behind trailblazers Red Bull.
Fernando Alonso has already managed to get four podium finishes in the season’s first five races and despite using Mercedes engines, gearbox and rear suspension, sit comfortably ahead of their primary supplier.
Mercedes currently provides its powertrain to a number of teams on the grid and the move away from the Silver Arrows to Honda would be significant if Stroll decides to finalise the deal.
The partnership will also allow the team far more freedom as far as the design of the car is concerned, especially its rear end. With Stroll’s deep pockets, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that it could allow Aston Martin a realistic chance of fighting for the championship.
There are still a few points to iron out though, as Daimler and Toto Wolff both own small stakes at Aston Martin.
Apart from this, Honda’s dislike for Fernando Alonso is also known since their relationship soured during his time at McLaren.
The Japanese outfit is unlikely to want Alonso to be one of Aston Martin’s drivers when they enter in 2026.
However, Alonso will be 45 years old by then and it is likely that he himself will call time on his career before such an eventuality.
It also leaves a question mark over Lance Stroll, son of Lawrence. Aston Martin signing with the ultra competitive Honda will add additional pressure on Lawrence to figure out the best course of action in terms of driver pairings going forward.