Despite 4 Glorious Podiums, Fernando Alonso’s Future at Aston Martin Left in Uncertainty As Honda Throws a Wild Card for 2026

This season so far, Fernando Alonso has excelled in every way. The man is back in the winners’ circle after going through some challenging moments. However, the 41-year-old is still hunting for his 33rd triumph but in the meantime has achieved 4 glorious podium finishes. Nevertheless, it appears that Fernando Alonso’s future at the Silverstone-based team is now in the air given the recent partnership between Aston Martin and the Japanese manufacturer, Honda.

The agreement between Honda and the shiny green teams could lead us back to the years when the Spaniard began the second phase of his career with McLaren from 2015 to 2017. The 41-year-old was then subjected to most of Honda’s early difficulties. This led him to make a derogatory remark. The Spaniard said, “ It feels like GP2. Embarrassing. Very embarrassing.”

Honda President names Fernando Alonso’s potential replacement

Given those unimpressive remarks now that Honda is about to team up with Aston Martin, there are questions circulating everywhere. To add some spice to the situation, Honda has thrown out a wild card for 2026. They indicated who might be in contention to succeed Alonso at the start of the new regulations. Following the admiration for Alonso as a “respectable” driver, the President of HRC, Koji Watanabe stated that the manufacturer won’t “have any kind of objection” whether Aston Martin chooses to work with Alonso or not.

However, giving their opinion on a potential Alonso replacement of Alonso the top management of the Golden Wing Company named a Japanese driver. Yuki Tsunoda was identified as the HRC President’s first pick for a successor. Watanabe stated, as per Formulapassion, “He comes from our school and is doing very well. Clearly there are still three years to go and it is too early to know what will happen. This is not the time to talk about it. We hope he can become a candidate, but it is not up to us.”

In the five races so far, Tsunoda has been one of the standout performers. The Japanese driver pushes the Alpha Tauri to its extreme and has recently been linked to some of the top teams because of his driving prowess. In light of this, the CEO of Performance Technologies of Aston Martin, Martin Whitmarsh, also commented, “This year he is making a great impression. He has made tremendous progress, despite his young age. We and Honda are here to win and for 2026, we want the best riders in the car. Tsunoda will have to be considered a candidate. I’m sure he would like to race with a Honda engine. We will see its progress over the next two years.”

READ MORE: Fernando Alonso’s Selfish Goals Backed as Aston Martin Mull Over Final Jigsaw Piece to Fulfil Them

Despite the fact that Nando has achieved four podium finishes during his time with Aston Martin so far and is thriving, he has yet to acknowledge that his career is entering its final stages. Assuming that it is true, what is his “wish” for his post-F1 career?

What Fernando Alonso plans to do after his Formula 1 career?

Fernando Alonso seemed to simply love the Aston Martin environment. According to certain experts, Alonso’s image as a villain has been eradicated thanks to the right atmosphere. This has also caused him to be on his “best behavior.” The driver is currently leading the Aston Martin charge. He is battling it out at the front with elite squads like Mercedes and Ferrari. With all the energy he has stored inside him, the Spanish driver wonders how he could still be of use off the tracks.

The man, whose soul has been owned by the amazing atmosphere of the shiny-green squad and who has a wealth of experience of more than 20 years, wants to assist them behind the scenes and return to the Dakar Rally, where he made his name while debuting in 2020.

Alonso disclosed his ambitions to Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle. During their conversation, he said, “After the two years out of the sport, I think I reset things and I’m 100% again focused. But I know that I’m at the end of my career. I don’t know if it’s going to be two years, three years, four years or whatever they are, and after that, I think I will maybe try Dakar. It was an experience that I really enjoyed. And it doesn’t need maybe a preparation or commitment like Formula 1.”

He added, “And maybe link somehow to Formula 1. I’m enjoying my time in Aston Martin, I’ve known Lawrence [Stroll, team owner] for many years, and maybe I can be a help for the team in the future after 20-plus years in the sport. I can have maybe some knowledge that can help the team.”

WATCH THIS STORY | How Many Times Has Fernando Alonso Won in F1

Do you believe that the Spaniard will continue to compete after the FIA implements new regs in 2026?