Looking forward to the 2026 regulations reset, Aston Martin owner, Lawrence Stroll made a clear indication of his championship ambitions as he signed Red Bull’s winning combination of Adrian Newey and Honda for his project.
However, with only one season to go before the latest era of F1 kicks off, problems have started to emerge on Honda’s side of things.
Koji Watanabe, the President of Honda Racing Corporation gave a worrying update about the Japanese automobile giant’s 2026 power unit. The Race revealed on its YouTube channel that Watanabe admitted to struggling with the latest engine regulations at the 24 Hours of Daytona, earlier this year.
❗️ Honda is setting up a new UK subsidiary and base for its #F1 engine programme that will also serve as a European hub.
HRC says this is to “enhance” its operations ahead of its partnership with Aston Martin in 2026.
Its leader Koji Watanabe will serve as HRC UK president. pic.twitter.com/p5AQgY7fCS
— The Race (@wearetherace) March 27, 2024
“We are struggling. Now we are trying our best to show the result next year. Everything is new. The motor is a new 355-kW, very compact one we need. Also, the lightweight battery, it’s not so easy to develop. And also the small engine with the big power. Everything is very difficult, but we try our best,” he told PlanetF1.
Given the way Honda have dominated the sport with its engine powering Red Bull in recent years, this development is a bit shocking. However, the Japanese manufacturer has shown in the past that they do tend to struggle with a fresh slate of power unit regulations, which was evident with their underpowered and unreliable turbo-hybrid power unit in 2015.
The 2026 regulations will shake everything up in the paddock from aerodynamics to power units. That said, the main changes are going to be made on the engine side of things and thus, Watanabe’s comments might foreshadow a grim future for Aston Martin‘s championship plans.
Are Honda and Aston Martin really in trouble with the 2026 F1 regulations?
Honda’s struggles find their roots all the way back to the 2021 F1 season. Back then, the company had announced its plans to pull out from the sport after a few successful years with the Red Bull team. This led to an escalated staffing issue that has started to show its signs on the 2026 power unit project.
But the overall concern will once again revolve around whether Honda can nail the technical aspects of the new engine, irrespective of their operational challenges. Can they get some help from Aston Martin? Well, yes.
Along with the signing of Newey and Honda, Stroll Sr. also onboarded Andy Cowell to the team. The former Mercedes man was crucial in the Silver Arrows’ turbo-hybrid dynasty having headed the engine department at the Brackley-based squad.
Naturally, the Briton is the most qualified individual, apart from Honda, to give a realistic view of the team’s competitiveness. The works Honda deal was a major milestone in Stroll Sr.’s plans for the Silverstone-based team.
And Cowell has himself given his vote of confidence in the project — hinting that all might just be well. “I was blown away by the facilities,” said Cowell who is confident that Honda are the right bet to nail the latest power unit regulations in F1.
