OFFICIAL F1: Honda will power Aston Martin from 2026

We suspected that something was going on on Sakura's side, that the choice to leave at the end of 2021 had been made too quickly, that the desire to return was there. Not with Red Bull that it has never stopped providing and with whom it is linked until the end of the 2025 season, but perhaps with McLaren we thought despite their noisy divorce in 2017. Water had since flowed under the bridges, washing away the resentments of the past. And then, the actors in the fiasco were no longer there... But that ultimately wasn't enough to wipe the slate clean.

The sun rose elsewhere for Honda, at Silverstone where Aston Martin invests without counting to build a victorious team. For Honda, the start of the season for the “so British” green team must have removed the last hesitations. To build the future, we needed a stable of the future and, for the latter, we needed a “factory” stable status without which nothing is possible. The discussions were quick, and the result was sealed this Wednesday morning in Tokyo in the presence of Toshihiro Mibe, CEO of Honda, Lawrence Stroll, executive chairman of Aston Martin F1 Team, Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation, and Martin Whitmarsh, Group CEO of Aston Martin Performance Technologies.

Honda, seduced by F1's sustainable approach 

Honda, which has never really left, justifies this return with 2026 engine regulations giving pride of place to electric power – multiplied by three – and the use of 100% sustainable fuel. Two axes which fit with the firm's stated desire to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. “Working within these regulations will have profound significance in terms of opportunities for Honda to continue developing future technologies,” was explained this morning. It is with this conviction that Honda has decided to take up the challenge, and it is Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), responsible for motorsport and motorcycle activities since 2022, which will assume the design, construction and development of the powertrains and Grand Prix management.

Honda remains allied with Red Bull until 2025. © Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

“F1 will become a platform that will facilitate the development of our electrification technologies; which is in line with Honda's carbon neutrality goal, welcomed Toshihiro Mibe, CEO of Honda. With the new 2026 regulations, the key to victory will be a compact, lightweight and powerful electric motor with a high-performance battery capable of handling high and fast power. We believe that the technologies and know-how acquired through this new challenge can be applied directly to our future production electric vehicles. Our new partner Aston Martin F1 Team shares the same sincere attitude and determination. » “And the same ambition to succeed on the track, added Lawrence Stroll. Honda is a global giant whose success in motorsport is incredibly impressive. »

This alliance with a builder is the missing piece in the building that the Canadian businessman is building. “Today we have this great opportunity to join forces with a sporting giant and become a factory team., explained Martin Whitmarsh. This is a very exciting and important step for the team. It is clear that both organizations share the same vision and determination to succeed. We have seen that Honda has achieved great success in recent seasons. Concerning us, we are still in a construction process, but we are proud, honored and grateful to be in a position to make this partnership.

Aston Martin satisfied with becoming a factory team

“The 2026 regulations will require perfect chassis and engine integration that only a “factory” relationship can produce. Having this partner puts us in a position to fight for the championship. Over the last 18 months we have recruited the right people, developed our infrastructure, our procedures and our own team culture to win. We know that we need strong partners and, with Aramco joining us for this mission, we now add Honda who has a lot to teach us! »

Honda which, in a certain way, is getting back on the bandwagon since at Sakura a large part of the technical staff was redispatched to other departments at the end of 2021 while at Brackley, Maranello, Viruses-Châtillon and Milton Keynes the work has been constant. “We have never stopped supplying engines, and we have not reduced our R&D activities, insisted Koji Watanabe, head of HRC. The commitment of our departments has never been suspended. In October 2020 we announced our withdrawal from F1 at the end of the 2021 season, but we were fully committed to engine development until March 2022, after which we focused on the carbon neutrality project. I don't think we lost much! »

Honda has two and a half seasons ahead of it to catch up; a period of time that Aston Martin will use to consolidate the structure and become this “top team” that the status of a factory team requires. Becoming Honda's partner is a great opportunity for the British team, but also a great responsibility... Especially since it will come after the all-powerful RBR! " We are confident ", concluded Martin Whitmarsh, perhaps remembering his debut in F1 with McLaren and Honda in 1989. Will he relive the same glorious times? Green is the color of hope!

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