Honda has declared it is impossible to provide Formula 1 power units to Red Bull for the 2026 season at short notice if Red Bull’s in-house engine development encounters problems. This ruling confirms that the Honda Red Bull F1 engine reunion is no longer an option, following mounting uncertainty about Red Bull’s new power unit’s competitiveness and reliability.
The collaboration between Red Bull and Honda, which began in 2019, brought remarkable success by securing four consecutive drivers’ championships and back-to-back constructors’ titles from 2021 through 2024. Despite these achievements, their partnership will end this year. Honda’s earlier decision to exit Formula 1 forced Red Bull to embark on building its own engines from scratch for 2026, marking a significant shift in the sport.
Modern F1 power units are extraordinarily complex, and Red Bull’s venture into engine manufacturing through its Red Bull Powertrains division is historic, as it becomes the first non-manufacturer team to design and produce hybrid engines at this level. While Red Bull has enlisted Ford to assist, particularly with the Motor Generator Unit (MGU), doubts linger over whether its initial power unit will offer both reliability and competitiveness.
Reassurances from Honda’s leadership block any last-minute engine return
Rumors circulated suggesting Honda might act as a safety net if Red Bull’s power unit development stalled. However, Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation, firmly rejected any possibility of Honda stepping in for the 2026 season as a backup.
“That is not possible at all,”
he told AS Web.
“Even if we were asked to do it now, it would be too late to make it in time for 2026. The chances are zero.”
—Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation
Although Honda initially announced its permanent departure from Formula 1 in 2020, the company reversed this decision after the introduction of new 2026 regulations emphasizing electrification and sustainability. However, by that time, Red Bull had already heavily invested in creating its own powertrain division. This development led Honda to pivot and enter a factory partnership with Aston Martin instead.
Honda’s focus shifted toward Aston Martin collaboration for 2026 power units
Honda is actively working with Aston Martin to produce a new engine for the 2026 season, alongside the British team’s in-house design of the gearbox at their Silverstone base. Testing of the joint power unit and gearbox is ongoing in both the United Kingdom and Japan to refine the specifications ahead of the new season.
“Of course, that is a power unit for testing and not the final specification,”
Watanabe explained.
“We combine the latest products at the time with each other at the testing stage, and we do tests in the UK and in Japan.
“We don’t do the tests at the same time. When we do it in Japan, we do it in Japan only, and it’s not just the things that are tested, but also the people who are present at the same time, and HRC staff and Aston Martin staff work together, and we’ve already done multiple tests.”
“The gearboxes that Aston Martin is producing are gradually approaching the final specification, and we will continue to test them.”
—Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation
Honda’s technical commitment to Aston Martin signals a clear divergence from supporting Red Bull’s engine ambitions, cementing that the two companies are moving in entirely different directions in Formula 1 powertrain development.
Implications for Red Bull’s future performance and engine prospects
Red Bull’s decision to forge its own hybrid power unit program introduces uncertainty around how quickly the team can match the performance and reliability standards set during its time with Honda. Partnering with Ford for electrification components like the MGU helps but complicates the challenge, as Red Bull has limited prior experience building an integrated F1 power unit.
The inability to reunite with Honda for 2026 removes a potentially safer fallback option, placing greater pressure on Red Bull Powertrains to deliver from the outset. Meanwhile, Honda’s new alliance with Aston Martin could shift the competitive landscape in the sport, as both manufacturers prepare their respective cars under the tighter, more sustainable regulations coming next year.
Our Reader’s Queries
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A. Yes, drivers can choose number 13. Pastor Maldonado selected it in 2014 when permanent numbers were introduced. Some cultures see 13 as unlucky, but F1 let drivers decide their numbers.
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A. Lewis Hamilton, born in 1985, is a British Formula One driver. He races for Mercedes and has previously raced for McLaren. Hamilton openly talks about his experiences with ADHD and shares his various interests.
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Q. Which F1 drivers have ADHD?
A. Lewis Hamilton, full name Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 1985), is a British Formula One driver racing for Mercedes and previously drove for McLaren. He openly shares his experiences with ADHD and talks about his various interests.