Aston Martin reveals Honda engine development progress for 2026 F1 season

According to F1.com, Andy Cowell, Aston Martin CEO, has provided an update on the development of Honda power unit planned for the 2026 season.

The Japanese manufacturer — which will end its partnership with Red Bull at the end of 2025 season — has been testing hardware at their base in Sakura, Japan, while transmission testing is being conducted at Silverstone.

“The Honda power unit design fits perfectly with the back of our monocoque and the front of our transmission. We hold daily meetings and regular senior-level meetings to ensure we’re working in the right direction,” Cowell explained.

The transformation from a customer team to a full works outfit — alongside regulation changes and new factory — has been met with high enthusiasm throughout the team.

Koji Watanabe, Honda Racing president, emphasized that this development is smoother compared to their 2015 project as they’re not starting from scratch. Watanabe also expressed pride in working again with Adrian Newey — former Red Bull chief technology officer who has now joined as technical partner and shareholder at Aston Martin.