Aston Martin has joined hands with Honda as their engine supplier from the 2026 season onwards. By doing so, the British team has taken the bold decision of cutting ties with Mercedes. This also is a major statement made by the team who wish to challenge for the championship in the coming years.
Previously Aston Martin’s technical director Dan Fallows claimed the Silverstone-based team is satisfied with their Mercedes engines. However, this was not the case as the team chose to side with the Japanese automaker.
In reality, the team in Green realized that to be in a title battle, they will have to beat the Silver Arrows. This will not be possible if the team continues to be reliant on Mercedes for engines.
Why Aston Martin chose Honda over Mercedes?
Aston Martin CEO Martin Whitmarsh claimed that the team opted to leave Mercedes in a pledge to become self-reliant. They aim to fight for the world championship in the coming few seasons. Therefore, it was time for the team to let go of Mercedes’s support.
In an interview with Speedcafe, Whitmarsh said that it’s impossible to be in a title race if they are labelled a ‘customer team’. He stated, “You set out to win in Formula 1, and that means beating existing partners and to do that, we’ve got to be independent.”
Mercedes have been supplying engines to the Silverstone-team since 2009 when it was run as Force India. As per their agreement, Aston Martin uses a Mercedes power unit, gearbox, hydraulics and rear suspension.
He continued, “We’re building great, great facilities, and we’re progressively pulling away from our dependence upon Mercedes Benz. They’ve done a fantastic job for us, but we’re here to beat them, and that means we’ve got to be self-reliant.”
With Honda onboard, the team can become a works team from 2026. They will no longer have to share vital technical info with a competitor and can focus on the title race.
Why Honda makes sense for Aston?
On paper, Honda and Aston Martin seem like two brands with nothing in common. However, their technical partnership makes sense for the Silverstone-based team’s championship interests.
Honda is one of the most successful engine suppliers in F1 history. They joined forces with Red Bull since 2019 and helped Max Verstappen win his first title in 2021. However, The Japanese company left the sport at the end of the season.
They sold their engine manufacturing department to Red Bull in 2022. However, with F1 adopting a carbon-neutral approach in 2026, Honda became interested in joining the F1 grid again.
Although, with Red Bull turning to Ford, their return to F1 remained doubtful. But the Japanese company managed to convince Aston Martin by aligning itself with the British team’s goals.
With Honda, Aston can develop their cars independently without Mercedes’s oversight. Honda’s winning experience will come to great use when the Silverstone-based team reaches the stage of a crucial championship fight.
Honda will receive the chance to collaborate with an upcoming team and be a part of their success story. This will also boost their image and showcase their engineering prowess to the global market.
