Honda president gives update on Aston Martin 2026 engine progress

Honda Racing President Koji Watanabe provides an update on Aston Martin's 2026 power units.

Honda is set to partner with the Aston Martin Formula 1 team from 2026 when the sport enters a new era of regulations. Honda Racing President Koji Watanabe has provided an update on the progress of the power unit.

After a successful stint with Red Bull, which has resulted in two constructors' championships and four drivers' championship titles, the Japanese manufacturer looks ahead to becoming the Silverstone squad's power unit.

Honda announced that it would be leaving the sport after the 2021 season, prompting Red Bull to secure a partnership with Ford for Red Bull Powertrains in 2026. However, when the regulations were confirmed to include a 50/50 split between internal combustion and electric power, it enticed Honda back into the fold.

While speaking to The Japan Times during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend, Watanabe confirmed that the development of the 2026 power unit for Aston Martin is on track.

“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.”

Honda will also be reuniting with Adrian Newey at Aston Martin. The aerodynamicist left the Milton Keynes squad as chief technical officer last year. After his announcement ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, the 66-year-old confirmed later in the year that he had signed with Aston Martin as managing technical director and shareholder.

The Red Bull Racing team celebrate and Thank Honda

Photo by: Clive Rose / Getty Images

Commenting on the upcoming reunion, Watanabe added:

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

Newey began work with the Lawrence Stroll-led team at the beginning of March 2025. Team principal Andy Cowell revealed what Newey's first day looked like with the squad, stating at the time:

“There’s been huge interest in Adrian’s arrival but he’s not one for great ceremony.

“He walked into his office at the AMR Technology Campus, put his briefcase down, and was in a concept meeting almost straight away, discussing an area of the car.

“He’s embedded himself immediately. He’s met all our exec team and quickly immersed himself with our engineers, attentively listening to what people are saying about the work they’ve done.

“Ultimately, he’s an engineer helping engineer our race cars. He’s just rolled his sleeves up and got straight into the job. He’s asking questions, he’s offering opinions and he’s bringing a fresh perspective. We’re delighted to have him.”