Honda boss wants to 'make history with Fernando Alonso', he just doesn't know when

Aston Martin earned their second points finish of the year at the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday, with Fernando Alonso once again the difference-maker.

The 45-year-old Spaniard drove an excellent race to finish ninth and pick up his second and third points of the season, aided at least in part by a new Honda power unit underneath him.

The Japanese company's struggles to provide a competitive power unit this year have been well documented but, combined with a vast swathe of aerodynamic upgrades brought by Aston Martin just before the summer break, the green car is starting to move on a clearly upward trajectory.

Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe has now insisted that the team are still aiming for a historic return to the top of the podium with Alonso, although he refused to set any sort of timeline.

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Honda chief: History for Alonso, history for Honda

It remains eminently possible - even likely - that even if Honda and Aston are able to combine to create a winning car, it will come after Alonso's racing career is over. He himself has alluded to that multiple times, but insisted that he will be involved with the team in some capacity when it happens.

Watanabe said this weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix that he 'can't say exactly' when he expects Honda to produce a race-winning power unit, adding: "My answer to everyone is the same: I can't say when."

Asked by Mundo Deportivo what it would mean to win alongside Alonso, Watanabe said: "We would make history. History for Alonso, but also for Honda."

He also spoke about the Spaniard's public defence of his company despite this year's struggles, admitting: "For Honda, that has been very important. Alonso is a fantastic driver, and it's extremely important for us to be able to work with him. His feedback on the car is very precise and really helps us move our development forward."

Honda want Alonso to re-sign with Aston Martin

Watanabe was equally enthusiastic about the possibility of Alonso re-signing with the team for 2027, saying: "Yes, of course [we want him to re-sign]! We want to continue working with Alonso.

"Being able to take on a challenge alongside a driver with such extraordinary passion is very, very important for Honda. And although we're not currently where we want to be, together with Alonso our goal is to become one of the leading teams in Formula 1."

Key Red Bull figures return to Honda

One of the most infamous moments of the Honda and Aston Martin partnership came last year, and was revealed early in 2026, when the team discovered that a number of engineers who had been key to the Japanese company's work with Red Bull had been reassigned away from the F1 project, and replaced with less experienced alternatives.

Watanabe confirmed that a number of the staff who worked on the Red Bull project with Honda have now returned to the F1 part of the business to work on the engines they're providing for Aston Martin.

"Not everyone," he admitted, "but the important people who worked there have returned to the F1 project."

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