Fernando Alonso declares true Honda position ahead of F1 'question mark'

Fernando Alonso believes that Honda "deserves another opportunity" to produce a competitive F1 power unit with the changes coming in for 2027. 

Honda's return to grand prix racing with Aston Martin in 2026 has been beset by numerous problems with its RA626H power unit, which initially started with severe vibrations in the early part of the season, which Adrian Newey claimed could leave Alonso and Lance Stroll with "severe nerve damage."

The issue was eventually fixed through countermeasures, with Honda delivering a new power unit through its first ADUO token at the Dutch GP, with its second one being used to introduce a new turbo for Stroll in Spain and then Alonso in Azerbaijan.

However, the unit has continued to struggle with turbo lag and drivability issues all season in the first year of the 50:50 split in terms of power output between the ICE and the 350kw battery systems.

For 2027, F1 will move away from this equal split, and by 2028, will reach a 60:40 split in favour of the ICE to generate power, with this being achieved by the increase of fuel flow.

Alonso will return for a 24th season of grand prix racing in 2027, and become the first 46-year-old to compete in a world championship grand prix since Maurice Trintignant at the 1964 French GP. 

Looking ahead, Alonso felt that Honda had "started on the wrong foot" and deserved another chance to produce a competitive engine.

"I have no guarantees that 2027 will be more fun, but it is a commitment that you have to make with yourself, and at the end of the day, I feel fast, I feel motivated, I feel that I'm enjoying what I'm doing," Alonso told media, including RacingNews365.

"And if I'm sitting at home watching TV, watching races, I will feel that I can do better than them, you know. That's what I felt when I was away from F1, and I was watching races, and I was thinking: 'Wow, that was not right'.

"I was always feeling the fire inside of being there and trying to do better, and I still feel it now. 

"As long as I have that inside, I think it's not time to stop. So yeah, the decision was more about the rules, and how enjoyable it is to drive these cars and these rules.

"I decided that maybe next year, with the 60-40 and with the second year of the rules, maybe there is a little bit of a better compromise on that, so let's do it one more time.

"Let's give Honda another opportunity, especially on the power unit side. We started on the wrong foot, and it is a question mark what is going to happen next year. But I think they deserve another opportunity, and I feel fast."