F1
Honda insists it is heading "in the right direction" with Aston Martin ahead of the Bahrain tests.
© DPPI
In Barcelona, Aston Martin contented itself with a discreet appearance. The late arrival – in March 2025 – of Adrian Newey, appointed technical director, had in fact left the Silverstone team several months behind in terms of development, while its competitors had already been busy since January of the same year.
In this context, Aston Martin only entered the Barcelona-Catalunya circuit for the Shakedown on Wednesday evening (compared to Monday for some teams), dedicating most of Thursday to assembling the carA mixed start, concluding with only 65 laps completed while the competition had already racked up several hundred. This situation, however, does not seem to be causing any concern internally.
On the contrary, Honda is satisfied with its initial impressions. The trials in Barcelona were a crucial moment in our relationship and a step in the right direction. assures Shintaro Orihara, Honda's track general manager. The next objective is to accumulate kilometers with our power unit in order to confirm the reliability of the engine and to verify all functions. We are eager to see how the whole package – the car and the powertrain – will behave as a single machine. "An exclusive partnership for the Japanese manufacturer, now fully committed to Aston Martin after several years spent with Red Bull.
Behind this reassuring rhetoric, however, the reality appears more nuanced. While Adrian Newey enjoys considerable freedom in chassis development during the season, the engine allows no compromises in terms of reliability. We focused our efforts on the fundamentals, knowing that some parts, wings, bodywork, may change during the season " explained the team manager and technical director.
The Greens will, however, have further opportunities to test the boldly designed AMR26 and the reliability of the Honda engine during the Bahrain tests scheduled for February 11-13 and 18-20. The 2026 season will kick off on March 8 in Melbourne, Australia.
ALSO READ > The full F1 pre-season testing schedule in Bahrain
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vincent moyet
10/02/2026 at 11:38 a.m.
Make no mistake, it's Alonso, not Honda, that I'm criticizing. During McLaren's legendary era, Honda seamlessly transitioned from turbo to naturally aspirated engines between '88 and '89 while continuing to dominate utterly. However, the career choices and the temper of the irascible Spaniard can't be said to have been as inspired.
Alain Féguenne (🇱🇺 Luxembourg)
10/02/2026 at 09:48 a.m.
Honda knows how to design engines, and they've proven it. The Japanese never make a move without being certain! My biggest regret about the new Aston Martin's design is that the Honda name isn't really visible! Personal opinion. alainkf1@pt.lu 😎🇯🇵👍
Yves-Henri RANDIER
09/02/2026 at 04:05 a.m.
@Vincent: That old fox Fernand has so far refrained from commenting after the shortened shakedown in Barcelona, but that might change after the two test sessions in Bahrain! Honda seems more confident than during recent interviews with HRC's top management.
Paul Lucas
09/02/2026 at 12:30 a.m.
The Japanese are cautious people who don't indulge in stupid gossip... I was in Japan last summer when I was young, and I discovered a hardworking, polite country that did everything to please me... One of my best memories of all the countries I've visited!
vincent moyet
09/02/2026 at 11:37 a.m.
Dgipitou engine? That'll bring back memories for Fernand.