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Aston Martin F1 will be running Honda powertrains in 2026

The British and the Japanese team up for the next-gen engine regulations

We can't believe that two names found on a certain energy drink's racing team in 2019-2020 will return to the grid. PHOTO FROM ASTON MARTIN F1

Honda has previously hinted at its formal return to Formula 1 in the 2026 season, and with Red Bull Racing soon partnering with Ford, fans were uncertain where the Saitama arm would land on the grid. In an announcement that nobody filled in their bingo cards for, Aston Martin F1 will be the new partner for the Honda Racing Corporation (HRC).

If you think about it, this is almost like a reunion of sorts. PHOTO FROM HONDA RACING CORPORATION

Earlier today, current Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe, HRC president Koji Watanabe, and Aston Martin F1 team executive chairman Lawrence Stroll announced that Honda will supply powertrains to the Silverstone-based team in 2026. This comes after HRC and the Formula 1 Group have realized a shared goal of carbon neutrality and sustainable fuels. Aston Martin Performance Technologies CEO Martin Whitmarsh calls this move the final piece in their plans to solidify their stay in the sport.

Indeed, 2020 and 2021 were magical years for the engine. PHOTO FROM HONDA

After regrettably announcing its departure from the sport a year before its championship-winning year, Mibe has been picking up the pieces left by its previous establishment and rebuilding Honda’s presence in F1 through its current partners, Red Bull Racing and Scuderia AlphaTauri.

Now that Ford has entered the picture of this year’s leading constructor for the upcoming engine regulations, HRC would initially appear homeless on the roster until Stroll stepped in.

Fun fact: The roots of Aston Martin F1 can be traced back to Jordan Grand Prix, which also had Honda-supplied powertrains. PHOTO FROM FORMULA 1

In the past, Honda as an engine supplier was a hit or miss in the F1 mythos, varying in success with McLaren in the ’90s and Red Bull currently, but not without mediocrity or failure like with Jordan Grand Prix in the 2000s and McLaren in the 2010s. With this new chapter on the horizon, will we see a continuation of victory streaks or a repeat of past mistakes?



Justin Young

Justin loves cars of all forms. Molded by motoring TV shows and Internet car culture, he sees the world from a different perspective that not many get to see every day.



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