Aston linked with Mercedes as Honda pressure grows

Aston Martin’s difficult start to its works Honda era has triggered fresh speculation that Lawrence Stroll is already keeping the door open to a future return to Mercedes power.

According to Diario Sport, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff met with Aston Martin representatives during the Dutch GP weekend, with journalist Jorge Peiro publishing a photograph of a ’TW’-branded Mercedes scooter outside the Aston Martin hospitality unit.

It is reportedly not the first such contact this season. Wolff was also spotted around Aston Martin’s hospitality at Barcelona, while Stroll himself visited the Mercedes motorhome in Australia.

The Spanish report links the meetings to the possibility that Aston Martin could consider returning to Mercedes power from 2028 if Honda fails to deliver the expected step during 2027.

That makes Fernando Alonso’s unusually pointed comments after Zandvoort particularly interesting.

"We’re happy with the direction we’ve taken with the chassis, but we have to wait longer for the engine," he said.

"I don’t think this weekend’s results were what we expected. "We’re missing that handling, that gear change, everything we had improved a bit with the first engine."

"We’ve kind of gone back to square one with this second one, so we have two or three races ahead to optimise it."

Honda, however, insists the difficult start has not shaken its belief in the Aston Martin project.

HRC president Koji Watanabe told Mundo Deportivo that the manufacturer now knows what must be improved.

"We are currently in the process of shortening the timeframe," said the Japanese.

"We know what we need to do in the development of the power unit."

When asked when Honda expects to have one of F1’s best engines, Watanabe refused to set a deadline.

"My answer to everyone is the same: I can’t say when. Today’s specification 2 is the first step toward improving the situation. And we’ll get closer every year."

"Our goal is to win."

Watanabe also said Honda has now corrected the staffing weakness that contributed to its difficult comeback.

"We’ve hired enough engineers, both in quantity and quality," he insisted.

"Not everyone, but the important people who worked there have returned to the F1 project."

When asked directly whether Honda still dreams of winning the championship with Aston Martin and Alonso, Watanabe replied: "Yes, of course."

"That’s why we’re developing the project and why we’ve established this partnership with Aston Martin and Alonso. Why not?"