Photo Credit: Aston Martin Cognizant F1 Team
A new era dawns in Silverstone as Aston Martin join up with engine manufacturer Honda for 2026 and beyond, but does that put Lance Stroll’s seat in the team at threat?
The deal means that there will be six works teams on the grid in three years time, which could produce some of the best competition we have seen in years.
Yuki Tsunoda has quietly put together the best start to any of his three F1 campaigns, and looks to be clear team leader at the AlphaTauri team.
A Honda contracted driver being in the sport could warrant talks for a seat in the future, if he can continue to develop and drive at a high level.
Group Chief Executive Officer of Aston Martin, Martin Whitmarsh, spoke about Tsunoda’s chances with the team as they unveiled their new partnership with Honda.
“Yes I think he’s making a great impression this year. He’s very young still he’s relatively inexperienced but I think he’s made great progress. It’s tremendously exciting. We’re aware I’m sure our driver lineup will evolve before 2026,” Whitmarsh said.
“Ultimately Honda and Aston Martin want to have the very best two drivers we can have in the cars. We are here to win, as are Honda, so in 2026 we want to start winning together, so we have to have great drivers.
“I think he must be considered as a candidate, I’m sure he would love to drive for a Honda-powered car so lets see how he makes progress in the next couple of years and hopefully we can have some serious discussions together,” he concluded.
While he has improved significantly since his introduction to the sport, the Japanese driver still has a long way to go before he warrants a top F1 drive.
Fernando Alonso has proven how dominant he can be up against Lance Stroll this year, and if the team are going to fight at the top, they’re going to need two dependable drivers every week.
No one would want to see Tsunoda rushed into the seat, only to experience a similar fate to what Stroll has so far. Time will tell if he is ready for the jump, but for the time being, it appears that Aston are in no rush to change their duo.
