The future of Honda’s Formula 1 engine development for Aston Martin in 2026 has been shrouded in uncertainty. With Honda enjoying an enviable track record alongside Red Bull – having secured victories in 50% of the races since their alliance in 2019 – the bar has been set high for its forthcoming collaboration with Aston Martin. However, not much has been disclosed about the deal since its declaration in May 2023, mainly because Honda’s focus has remained on its fruitful relationship with Red Bull until the end of 2025.
Earlier this year, concerns surrounding Honda’s 2026 engine development emerged. Honda’s F1 programme’s overall head in January 2025 reported a struggle with the 2026 development. Koji Watanabe, the Honda Racing Corporation president, revealed during a group interview at the Daytona 24 Hours that the new F1 engine development had been far from smooth, stating, “we are struggling.”
Honda’s previous challenges in catching up with its competitors are still fresh in the minds of many, making this update concerning. Despite the lack of a one-year delay this time, the ongoing project follows Honda’s official withdrawal from F1, followed by a U-turn before its engine ever actually disappeared. This resulted in a sluggish start to the development as Honda had to reconstruct the F1 division it had previously disbanded and utilized in various electrification projects.
The partnership with Aston Martin merges a team that has spared no expense to establish itself as an F1 giant, a legendary designer in Adrian Newey, a two-time world champion driver in Fernando Alonso, and Honda, an engine manufacturer that has also spared no expense to reach the top of F1 again. The possibility of Honda struggling, due to its internal restructuring or the sheer challenge of the project, is real and concerning.
Watanabe, along with Honda, later clarified that referring to engine development as a ‘struggle’ was a poor choice of words. He stated, “In all fairness, what I tried to say was the 2026 power unit regulation set is technically very tough and challenging. There isn’t an easy path.” However, there’s no indication that Honda is lagging or in a state of chaos.
Honda has been known for its ambitious engine targets, often opting for bold and slightly risky solutions. This strategy has served them well in the past, particularly during the V6 turbo-hybrid era, enabling them to overcome weaknesses in both the internal combustion engine and the energy recovery systems. Although no specifics about the 2026 power unit’s technology have been disclosed, Honda’s ambition and previous track record provide some reassurances.
Andy Cowell, the Aston Martin group CEO and F1 team boss, who led the Mercedes engine programme to its dominant start to the hybrid era in 2014, stated, “Is it ever enough? Is anybody ever going to say that we’re achieving enough every single week? No, nobody’s ever going to say that.” His statement indicates that the progress is moving in the right direction at a good pace.
Cowell, who joined Aston Martin in October 2024, expressed his admiration for the setup, noting that he had made no significant changes. He was particularly impressed with Honda’s facilities, the atmosphere, and the team’s collaborative approach to testing. According to Cowell, the deciding factors for the project will be the ambition of the technology and the timeframe, which has led to a “really nice, creative buzz.”
However, as of March 2025, what remains unanswered is the extent of progress Honda can make and whether ‘difficulties’ or ‘challenges’ will eventually morph into ‘struggles.’ When queried if Honda expects similar success with Aston Martin as it has enjoyed with Red Bull, Watanabe responded, “I believe no team principal nor power unit supplier representative is able to predict their positioning in the 2026 ranking. It is very challenging. We will do our best, that’s all I can say now.”
