Move to sustainable fuel was key to Honda F1 return
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says Honda and Aston Martin will form an “exciting partnership” that is testament to the direction the sport is taking with power units.
Honda has confirmed it will return to F1 as a full works supplier to Aston Martin from 2026 onwards, having stepped back at the end of 2021 to be currently providing technical support to Red Bull Powertrains. Part of Honda’s reasoning is the move to a 100% sustainable fuel and increased electrical output as part of the new regulations, something Domenicali says is proving popular with manufacturers.
“It is great news for Formula 1 that Honda will partner with Aston Martin to supply power units from 2026,” Domenicali said. “This is further evidence that our global platform and growth provides brands with huge potential, and it also shows that our plans to move to sustainable fuels in 2026 is the right approach to offer the automotive world alternative solutions to decarbonize the planet.
“We can all see the incredible commitment Aston Martin has made to our sport and we can’t wait to see the exciting partnership in action, and I want to congratulate both parties on this exciting news.”
Honda joins Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull Ford Powertrains, Alpine and Audi as power unit manufacturers with confirmed partnerships for 2026 with Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) president Koji Watanabe saying it found a team in Aston Martin that shares its desire to win titles.
Honda joins Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull Ford Powertrains, Alpine and Audi as power unit manufacturers with confirmed partnerships for 2026 with Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) president Koji Watanabe saying it found a team in Aston Martin that shares its desire to win titles.
“The Aston Martin Formula 1 team and Honda share the same spirit, and together, we will take on this new challenge,” Watanabe said. “In this project, HRC will design, develop and manufacture the power unit optimized for Aston Martin’s F1 chassis configuration, and supply it to them. And Aston Martin F1 team will design, develop and manufacture the chassis, as well as handling the team management.
“Aston Martin F1 is a team with a lot of momentum, including a construction of a new factory, and they are currently working on various measures to strengthen the team to strive for winning the F1 championship title. As they have given the high marks to our F1 power unit technology, and we can relate to the attitude, and also a strong passion to win, we decided to work together and strive for the championship title as Aston Martin Honda.”
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For more information: www.racer.com
