Aston Martin partners with Honda in Formula 1 from 2026

Aston Martin will become Honda’s official business partner in 2026, as the Japanese manufacturer formally commits itself to its long-term future in Formula 1.

Honda initially announced its exit from F1 in 2020, officially withdrawing from the championship after assisting Max Verstappen He clinched his first title the following year.

However, it has continued to supply power units to Red Bull and is still operating as part of a supply deal that will run until the end of the 2025 season.

Honda’s future after that was not clear, however, as it was left facing uncertainty about other options on the grid following Red Bull’s decision to tie-in with Ford for its Powertrains effort from 2026.

Furthermore, there was an intense debate among Honda’s senior management as to whether to officially return to Formula 1 so soon after quitting.

However, Aston Martin’s impressive progress in Formula 1 has coincided with being a free agent after 2025 when he is their current customer. Mercedes The deal has come to an end, seeing as she stands out as an ideal candidate for the hookup.

A deal has now been finalized that will see Aston Martin become Honda’s official Formula 1 build team.

“Our future business partnership with Honda is one of the final pieces of the jigsaw puzzle in place for Aston Martin’s ambitious Formula 1 plans,” said Martin Whitmarsh, Group Chief Executive Officer, Aston Martin Performance Technologies.

Honda says its decision to commit to F1 so soon after her departure was prompted by intensifying ambitions for the sustainability of Grand Prix racing.

In addition to F1’s commitment to be net zero carbon by 2030, it is switching to a fully sustainable fuel from 2026 when the new power units are also boosted by a greater proportion of electric power.

Toshihiro Mibe, Honda’s global CEO, said: “One of the main reasons we decided to take on the new challenge in Formula 1 is that the pinnacle of racing in the world is striving to become a sustainable racing series, which is in line with the direction Honda aims towards carbon neutrality, and it will become a platform that facilitates the development of our technologies.” for electricity.

“We believe that the technologies and know-how gained from this new challenge can be directly applied to mass-produced electric vehicles of the future, such as the groundbreaking electric sports model, and electrification technologies in various fields, including the eVTOL that are currently undergoing research and development.”

Having enjoyed global success with Red Bull in 2021 and 2022, and currently leading the standings this year, Honda is clearly embarking on a partnership with Aston Martin to deliver even more championships.

Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation, said: “They are currently working on various measures to strengthen the team and strive for the F1 championship title.

“So, since they gave high marks to our power unit technology in Formula 1 and we could relate to their loyal attitude and strong passion to win, we decided to work together and strive for the championship title in the name of Aston Martin Honda.”