Who could be driving for the Aston Martin-Honda partnership in 2026? F1 pundit gives his take

F1 pundit Scott Mitchell-Malm mentioned that Aston Martin F1 will have to be careful while selecting their drivers for the 2026 season if Fernando Alonso is not part of the project.

The British team, currently in P2 in the constructor's championship, announced that they will partner with Honda when the new engine regulations start in 2026, ditching Mercedes. However, there have been several claims that their star driver, Fernando Alonso, may not be part of the project given his frosty relationship with the Japanese manufacturer during their time with McLaren.

While appearing on The Race podcast, Mitchell-Malm said:

"If Alonso is not in the picture, it has to be an absolute A-Lister because that's not Lance Stroll and that's not anyone of the Honda proteges, the young Japanese drivers who have shown great promise like Tsunoda and Iwasa. You're looking at a Charles Leclerc or Lando Norris, that kind of caliber of a driver."

"Everything else with this project is rightly being treated with utmost respect and significance. There is no shortcoming in terms of finance and time and effort to get it right. If that isn't applied to driver choice for 2026 and beyond, then everything else gets undermined."

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Lawrence Stroll welcomes Honda to the Aston Martin Formula One Team

Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll was overjoyed with the team's association with Honda from 2026 onwards and called the Japanese manufacturer a 'titan'.

In his official statement on the team's website, Stroll said:

"I would like to welcome Honda and Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) to the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant Formula One® Team. We share a mutual drive, determination, and relentless ambition to succeed on the track. Honda is a global titan and its success in motorsport is longstanding and incredibly impressive. I would like to thank Mr. Mibe and Mr. Watanabe, and the whole team at HRC as we embark on this exciting future together from 2026."

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali was also delighted with the news and added:

"It is great news for Formula One that Honda will partner with Aston Martin to supply power units from 2026. This is further evidence that our global platform and growth provide brands with huge potential."

It will be fascinating to see if the partnership proves to be fruitful for both parties involved or not.