Honda replaces F1 engine boss as Aston Martin sits 10th — SkimNews
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- Honda replaced Tetsushi Kakuda with former deputy Yoichiro Fukao as Large Project Leader of its F1 engine project, framing the move as a 'planned transition' to transfer technical expertise ahead of 2027 regulatory changes
- Aston Martin and Honda sit 10th of 11 teams in the constructors' championship, with Fernando Alonso's ninth place at the Dutch Grand Prix standing as their best result
- Honda's first engine upgrade of the season at the Dutch GP delivered a smaller performance step than Aston Martin expected, with the engine deficit reportedly costing at least one second of lap time across internal combustion and electrical system losses
- Alonso was eliminated in Q1 at the Spanish Grand Prix, finishing 2.2 seconds off the fastest qualifying time
- Honda's troubles trace to its 2020 exit from F1: when it officially returned in May 2023, it rebuilt the engineering team without bringing back the engineers who built the championship-winning 2021 power unit, instead hiring F1 novices before now recalling experienced staff
- Alonso previously endured three winless years with Honda engines at McLaren from 2015–17 and has yet to confirm whether he will race beyond the end of his Aston Martin contract this season
Why it matters: Honda's gamble on inexperienced engineers for its 2026 restart has left its works partner Aston Martin over a second off the pace, and the mid-season leadership swap signals the programme is being reset mid-campaign rather than trusted to develop in its current form — a critical risk for a 44-year-old Alonso weighing whether to stay in F1.
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