A recent partnership between Honda and Aston Martin signifies both strength and future racing advancements bringing two well-respected names together.
Honda has become one of the most significant names in Formula 1 racing. The Japanese brand currently supplies many of the engines that have propelled cars to the podium with several championship drivers and performances. The next new set of regulations will impact the 2026 season, but Honda has already signed up to work with Aston Martin as the Honda Works Team.
Aston Martin finally gets the support it needs
Honda has made knee-jerk reactive decisions in the racing world in the past, but this new partnership could mean they’ll be around for a long time. Most recently, Honda abruptly pulled out of Formula 1 racing at the end of 2021, which means plans can change in an instant. Still, it’s important for Aston Martin to have a new partnership for the future, and the name with many podium wins in Formula 1 seems to be a great choice. This allows Aston Martin to finally get the support required to get to the front of the race.
What makes it so difficult or Aston Martin?
It’s nearly impossible for a team to overcome another when partnered and reliant on that other team. For years, Aston Martin has been partnered with Mercedes, but Mercedes was the target to overcome and beat on the track. It only makes sense that a team with another relying on it for technical and proprietary information would not share everything with the other team. This means Aston Martin needed a new partner and to move away from the Mercedes partnership in order to get ahead of Mercedes on the track.
The next round of F1 regulations are still in flux
Formula 1 racing hasn’t finalized the new 2026 chassis regulations, but most hope these new requirements will simplify things rather than making them much more complicated. This puts a lot of pressure on the Aston Martin team, which won’t have to worry about powertrains because of the Honda partnership, but still has other challenges. The Aston Martin team will need to design and manufacture its own gearbox and rear suspension alongside Honda. This is just one more reason why the Mercedes partnership couldn’t go any further than 2025.
The Mercedes partnership has been fruitful
Over the past several years, the dependence on Mercedes has been a positive for Aston Martin. In fact, Aston confirms that Mercedes continues to do a great job for them, providing what’s needed, but Aston is working to move away from them. This means creating new facilities for growing the team and allowing the team to progress forward. Of course, and as expected, the Mercedes team takes priority for all Formula 1 activities at the Mercedes facility. This can create tension and problems. One example of this is that Aston Martin is building their own wind tunnel close to the Mercedes facility, where a shared wind tunnel is located.
Formula 1 continues to progress and evolve
Back in 2014, the complicated set of regulations meant that the 11 teams on the grid were all supplied by only three names, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Renault. The complexity of the new regulations caused expensive changes, and most new manufacturers to the sport had to pull out. It wasn’t until four years later that Honda was able to enter F1 and become a strong performer with incredible powertrains on the track. Most teams will have in-house power units or set-up suppliers going forward.
The teaming up of different works partnerships in 2026 will be:
- Aston Martin – Honda
- Red Bull – Red Bull Powertrains with Ford
- Mercedes – Mercedes
- Ferrari – Ferrari
- Alpine – Renault
- Sauber – Audi
Four teams, McLaren, Hass, AlphaTauri, and Williams, are not partnered with their own in-house power unit set-up or an exclusive works supply. It’s easy to see that the top four teams from this current season all have one.
Will this new partnership help Aston Martin win championships?
The Honda works team will supply Aston Martin with many of the powertrain components and items required to meet the new regulations. Of course, those regulations haven’t been certified and finalized yet, which means things could get more complex, but the hope is that 2026 will ensure Formula 1 cars can be simplified compared to the modes we see on the track right now. The future of this top racing series is going to be extremely interesting.
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