“We're hoping that he will become a candidate”: Yuki Tsunoda amongst Aston Martin Honda’s targets for their driver’s lineup

After weeks of speculation, Aston Martin and Honda finally announced their intentions to join forces in 2026. The Silverstone team has announced a deal with the Japanese engine manufacturer when F1 ushers in a new era three years later.

Following the news of their tie-up, questions were raised about Yuki Tsunoda's future in the sport. The 23-year-old Japanese driver is backed by Honda and currently drives for AlphaTauri, which runs the Honda power units.

Tsunoda has been linked with the Aston Martin Honda project and has been named as a possible candidate for its driver lineup in 2026. Koji Watanabe, Honda Racing Corporation president, confirmed the speculations as he told the media:

"Of course, there are Japanese drivers who would be challenging and we would like them to become candidates."

He added:

"We're very happy to see [Tsunoda] succeeding. But talking about the future, we still have three years to go so it’s too early for us to say what will happen. I don’t think it's the time to talk about this. But we're hoping that he will become a candidate. But it's up to the team to make the final decision."

Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri driver

Entering his third F1 season with AlphaTauri, Yuki Tsunoda has impressed everyone with his consistency early in the season. The 23-year-old has managed to score points in the slowest car on the grid while massively outperforming his teammate, Nyck de Vries.

Aston Martin Performance Technologies CEO Martin Whitmarsh is one of the many who are impressed by Tsunoda's exploits this season.

Praising the 23-year-old, Whitmarsh added that the Honda-backed driver will be considered for their future lineup:

"He's making a great impression this year. He's very young still, but relatively experienced but I think he's made great progress. It's tremendously exciting."

He continued:

"[Tsunoda] must be considered as a candidate. I'm sure he would love to drive a Honda-powered car. Let's see how he makes progress in the next couple of years and hopefully, we can have some serious discussions together."

If Tusnoda continues delivering consistent results, he will be building a strong case to replace Fernando Alonso when he retires from F1.

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F1 CEO explains why Aston Martin Honda project is "great" for Formula 1

F1 CEO in the Grand Prix of Bahrain

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali hails the Aston Martin-Honda partnership, adding that their marriage is great news for the sport. After years of indecision, Honda's return to F1 was possible due to the regulation change in 2026, which focuses on using sustainable fuel technology.

Domenicali said about the partnership:

"It is great news for Formula 1 that Honda will partner with Aston Martin to supply power units from 2026."

He further said:

"This is further evidence that our global platform and growth provides brands with huge potential, and it also shows that our plans to move to sustainable fuels in 2026 is the right approach to offer the automotive world alternative solutions to dedecarbonize the planet."

There will be at least six engine suppliers in the sport in 2026. The list includes Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, Audi, Red Bull-Ford, and Honda.