Honda announces the 2027 plan for Fernando Alonso: two great evolutions scheduled!
Fernando Alonso is not being able to enjoy a good car in 2026 due, in large part, to a Honda engine that did not find the key at the beginning of a new era of Formula 1. We are already in the final stretch of the season and the Japanese engine, despite introducing a great evolution after mid-season, is still the worst on the entire grid. There is no circuit where the lack of power in that AMR26 is not noticeable.
Logically, the efforts of the Japanese brand are already focused on the 2027 engine, where the hopes of Aston Martin, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are placed. Going from being at the back of the grid to winning is clearly difficult. Therefore, the objective becomes to have a good base with which to fight in the middle zone and, then, start thinking about bigger objectives.
Shintaro OriharaHonda’s chief engineer, explained in Austin what the plan is for 2027. The Japanese reported that in the first race there will already be a great evolution, but that another is expected to make another important leap in quality after the first third of the year. It should be remembered that internal combustion will have a 58% influence on the power unit compared to the current 53%.
“We need to take a step to get closer to the first. Our goal is to bring an improvement for the first race. But in that first race we are still not going to be with the best so, as Newey says, our objective is to bring another great evolution in the middle of the season. Let’s say that around the eighth race. That is our roadmap and it is what we are working on,” explained the Japanese after the Austin race in statements reported by the newspaper AS.
“Our weak point is combustion and we work hard to improve it. Especially in next year’s engine, because the performance of the engine will be more important compared to this year, so it is a key point.”
Austin’s career was much more positive than could be expected on paper. It was Honda’s 500th race in Formula 1 and Alonso was fighting to get into the points zone, but the strategy was not appropriate. Still, the pace wasn’t bad. That’s why the Japanese biker was able to get a little bigger with the improvements made.
“Throughout the free practice sessions here at COTA, we performed runs without problems and collected a lot of important information that shows that our new approaches are working well. During the race we confirmed that our engine was working constantly and that we will be able to apply everything we learned in 2027, when we return to this circuit,” Orihara confirmed in closing.
