Honda to Bring New PU for Alonso & Stroll at Dutch GP

Honda is set to deliver a major boost for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll at the Dutch Grand Prix this weekend. The Japanese manufacturer is ready to introduce a new specification power unit for Aston Martin, a move described as an "important milestone" in the season.

This news comes after Aston Martin recently introduced its long-awaited chassis upgrades for the AMR26 in Hungary. The results were immediate: Alonso made it to Q2 for the first time this season, offering a glimmer of hope for a team that has struggled with chassis and power unit issues throughout the first half of the year.

The Honda engine upgrade was always planned to follow the chassis updates, and now the new design is set to debut at Zandvoort—which happens to be a Sprint weekend, meaning only one practice session. That certainly presents a challenge for the team to evaluate the new package in such a short time.

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According to Orihara, trackside general manager, the new power unit has already been tested during a filming day after the Hungarian GP. He explained that the introduction of the fresh design is the result of an "intense period" at HRC Sakura, working closely with HRC UK and Aston Martin.

"The Dutch Grand Prix is an important milestone for Honda, as this is where we introduce our new spec power unit," Orihara said. "This is the result of an intense period of hard work at HRC Sakura together with HRC UK and Aston Martin."

Orihara also acknowledged the challenge ahead: "Zandvoort is a Sprint weekend, which means we only have a single free practice session. This will bring an additional challenge to complete the evaluation of our new package in that limited running, but it’s a test we’re looking forward to."

He added, "In Hungary, we saw a step forward with the new chassis. With the new specification power unit now introduced, we look forward to building on that progress together with the team over the remainder of the season."

With a new chassis and engine combination, Aston Martin will be hoping to leap closer to the midfield and start fighting harder. Fans will surely be eager to see if the full package will make Alonso and Stroll competitive at Zandvoort.