Aston Martin F1 chief gives progress update on Honda power unit ahead of 2026

Aston Martin team principal and CEO Andy Cowell has provided an update on the progress of the 2026 Honda power unit.

The Japanese manufacturer is parting ways with Red Bull at the end of the current Formula 1 season and is beginning a partnership with the Silverstone outfit. 

"The works been going on for many, many months so the design of the Honda power unit is very much fitting hand in glove with the back of our monocoque and the front of our transmission," the Aston Martin team chief explained to F1.com.

"The hardware has been tested in Sakura [Honda's power unit base in Japan] and our transmission has been tested here at Silverstone as well as on the back of the power unit in Sakura.

"There are daily meetings and then there are regular more senior level meetings to check in to make sure that we're all working in the right direction."

Cowell has been impressed by the enthusiasm of the team during the transition from a customer team to a works team.

"It is a transformation going from a customer team to a works team at the same time as all the regulation changes and the new factory and all the new equipment," he explained.

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images via Getty Images

"It's a huge transformation for everybody in our team.

"But I'm really impressed with the enthusiasm that everybody's got. Everybody wants to get to the front. Everybody wants to do well.

"Everybody's open-minded to making changes in the way we work in responsibilities and so on. Everybody's busy, everybody's making lots of change, but it's enjoyable change."

Honda Racing president Koji Watanabe previously commented on the progress of the 2026 power units.

“We had discontinued the project with Formula One so we were not prepared in 2015,” Watanabe said.

“We started from zero. Now we’re not starting from zero, so it is a smoother development.”

The Honda power unit team has also been reunited with former Red Bull chief technology officer Adrian Newey, who has joined Aston Martin as managing technical partner and shareholder.

“It is an honour to work together again with Newey at Aston Martin," Watanabe added, "We will work together to create a competitive F1 car.”