Aston Martin produced its best result of the 2026 season at the Dutch Grand Prix, with Fernando Alonso finishing ninth. The race also marked the debut of Honda's first proper engine upgrade of the year, a development the team hopes will build on a major aerodynamic update introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Alonso's ninth place and a rallying cry
Alonso recorded the team's best result of the season at Zandvoort, a finish built on a 35-lap first stint on soft tires that moved him up the order. After the race, team boss Adrian Newey praised the two-time world champion over the radio: "Well done Fernando, that was a great drive. Very disciplined and a great boost for everybody back at Silverstone [the team's HQ]. Thank you."
Alonso responded: "Yeah, absolutely. Thanks to you guys. Everyone in Silverstone, amazing. Lovely car to drive, and more to come, I know."
Speaking after the race, Alonso said he felt "happy and relaxed" and confident about the direction of the team. "Congratulations to the team. Formula 1 is not a mysterious sport," he said. "You have to bring performance and outperform competitors to score points, and it's what we are doing. So congratulations everyone in Silverstone."
He added: "Hopefully, we can bring more, we can use this motivation and this momentum into the next few races and keep learning about the package."
Alonso also acknowledged that Aston Martin still has work to do in certain areas, noting that the car is not yet where they want it in terms of drivability. "Downshifts and engine braking seem a little bit random, corner by corner," he said, and the team still loses "a lot on the straights" due to a power deficit.
Honda's Spec 2 power unit
Honda have offered insight into the updated power unit that Aston Martin will run from the Dutch Grand Prix onwards. Shintaro Orihara, Trackside General Manager and Chief Engineer at Honda, explained the changes: "We focused on improving engine performance, let's say to make combustion faster. It's kind of a secret, but I can disclose a little bit. We changed the pre-chamber to make combustion faster, and also we changed the piston shape to get good combustion. We modified some lubrication systems to reduce friction. We have quite a big list to improve engine performance."
The second specification power unit is intended to close the gap to faster competitors like Racing Bulls and Alpine. The engine was run for the first time on-track during a filming day at the Hungaroring, where Aston Martin also debuted 16 upgrades on their car.
A difficult start and a B-spec car
Despite the optimism surrounding their partnership with Honda, the 2026 season began poorly for Aston Martin. The team found themselves near the bottom of the pecking order, with the power unit suffering from vibration issues and poor reliability. Those teething problems were fixed in the early rounds, allowing the team to focus on upgrades later in the year.
Unlike many rivals, they chose to introduce a B-spec car at the Hungarian Grand Prix rather than bringing smaller updates to each weekend. The decision appeared to pay off, with the team surging ahead of Cadillac and Williams in qualifying before Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso claimed P13 and P14 respectively on race day.
Looking ahead
While no public comment has been made on the filming day's success, there is a general sense of optimism within Aston Martin that the team will be better placed to compete for points. Alonso said he is hopeful that the second half of the year will represent a "new start of the championship."
Honda's Orihara said they achieved their internal target for the Spec 2 engine, and with the aerodynamic package also making strides, Alonso believes the team can continue its upward trajectory. As he put it: "Formula 1 is not a mysterious sport. You have to bring performance and outperform competitors to score points."