Chasing ghosts? Honda sets astonishing Alonso target

Honda has set an ambitious goal of winning a third Formula 1 World Championship with Fernando Alonso, despite the team's struggles in the 2026 season. Alonso, who last won a championship in 2006, is currently driving for Aston Martin, which has faced significant challenges, including a recent upgrade that only allowed them to achieve 13th and 14th place finishes in Hungary. Honda's chief engineer, Shintaro Orihara, insists on the importance of Alonso's experience and feedback in their pursuit of this goal.

However, Alonso himself is uncertain about his future in Formula 1 and will make a decision after the summer break. He has expressed concerns about the current state of the cars and their performance. Honda plans to debut a new power unit at the upcoming Zandvoort race, which they hope will improve their competitiveness. The gap between their current performance and the championship aspirations remains significant.