With less than six months to go before the dawn of a new era in Formula 1, Honda, which will begin supplying engines to Aston Martin as its sole partner from 2026, has revealed that the development of its engine has reached a “fairly advanced stage.”
Honda opts to go one step further in the creation of its engine with Aston Martin
Even now, on the way to the next Belgian Grand Prix, which will be held this weekend, different reports have emerged suggesting that Honda has taken a step further in the creation of its engine to install it in Aston Martin’s AMR26.
After ending its partnership with Red Bull, the Japanese manufacturer is now responsible for supplying the engine for Silverstone’s ambitious project, where Alonso knows that 2026 is his big chance to have a winning car.
Aston Martin is one of the teams that has put the most effort into the new regulations that will come into force next year, securing the services of Adrian Newey, building a new wind tunnel and simulator, and setting up a mega factory never before seen in Formula 1, as well as reaching the same agreement with Honda.
They will change the position of their batteries to better accommodate the AMR26
This was explained by Andy Cowell on the official F1 World Championship website, describing the important step they are taking now that they are truly responsible for making the best possible engine. This task will fall to the Japanese manufacturer, where, according to reports, they may have decided to play with the positions of their power unit to make an engine that is better suited to the demands of the regulations and is lighter.
“It’s a transformation to go from being a customer team to a works team at the same time as all the changes in the regulations, the new factory and all the new equipment,” said Cowell. “It’s a huge transformation for everyone in our team,” acknowledged Aston Martin’s track boss.
The synergy between Honda and Aston Martin seems to be very good, as both parties separately acknowledge the enormous work and good collaboration that is being done. Nothing can go wrong if they want to start the new era by meeting expectations, even if Honda has to opt for different strategies than the rest.
This is where, according to German journalist Ralf Bach, the Sakura-based company has taken a different path from other brands with regard to the battery circuit. The information they are putting forward is that Honda has set itself apart from other manufacturers such as Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull to chart its own course by trying something different. In this case, beyond what it may be in terms of performance, Aston Martin would already be setting itself apart from the rest of the grid with a different power unit; it is a risky bet, but one that could also pay off, as it has been doing with the current units from Red Bull since 2019, after its previous year with Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls).
They know that 2026 is Alonso’s last chance to win
“The work has been going on for many, many months, so Honda’s power unit design fits like a glove with the rear of our monocoque and the front of our transmission,” Andy explained.
Honda will thus begin its partnership with Aston Martin in 2026. The difference between relying on other rivals and being self-sufficient is crucial in Formula 1, as Cowell emphasizes: “It’s a step forward, we have everything to learn.” Fernando Alonso knows that he is facing a key opportunity in his career to fight for victories again.
In fact, as the engineer mentioned, the new engine is already becoming a reality at the British team’s facilities, where they have already had access to the data: “The hardware has been tested in Sakura and our transmission has been tested here at Silverstone, as well as coupled to the power unit in Sakura. There are daily meetings and then there are more regular meetings at a higher level to make sure we’re all working in the right direction,” he stressed.
“We fully respect Honda’s responsibility to create the 2026 power unit,” said the team’s CEO. Andy Cowell was instrumental in Mercedes’ engines in the hybrid era and now delegates those duties. “I haven’t stuck my nose in a Formula 1 engine for five years,” he added on James Allen’s podcast.
Aston Martin will now have to manufacture its own parts and systems.
“There is a strong possibility that this will be the formula [regarding the work involved in the new regulations]. I can’t remember another time in history when both the chassis and engine regulations have changed so much, and the chassis part has been written to compensate for the power unit,” Adrian Newey said months ago. Today, everyone is starting from the premise that the work will pay off. Especially because Aston Martin, beyond all the changes in philosophy and design made to build a winning team, will also do the same to change the heart of its current Mercedes engine to Honda’s.
In fact, unlike what happened with Mercedes as a supplier, now they will be the ones who have to start manufacturing parts and systems. “When you change engines, as in our case, you also have to produce the gearbox, the hydraulic system, the rear crash structure, and the rear suspension,” Luca Furbatto, chief engineer of the Silverstone team, recently explained.
As for Alonso, the Spaniard will be looking to recapture the success he failed to achieve with McLaren in his last spell with the Woking-based team between 2015 and 2017 [in 2018 they used Renault engines]. His record in those three seasons with the team was 11 points in the 2015 world championship, finishing 17th overall; 10th in 2016 with 54 points and 15th with 17 points in 2017. With 18 retirements, his best finish was fifth place in Hungary in 2015, Monaco in 2016, and the United States in 2017. Verstappen, on the other hand, has achieved 60 victories with Honda since 2019.