Honda has officially unveiled the RA626H engine in Tokyo, confirming that it will power Aston Martin's Formula 1 cars from the 2026 season onwards. This announcement marks the formal beginning of Honda's partnership with the British racing outfit and signals the Japanese manufacturer's full-time return to Formula 1 as an engine supplier, coinciding with the sport's new era of technical regulations.
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Honda's move comes after a long association with Red Bull Racing and its junior team, Racing Bulls, spanning seven and eight years, respectively. With the introduction of F1's new power unit rules in 2026, Honda has chosen Aston Martin as its new partner, ending its collaboration with Red Bull. The transition is being overseen by Andy Cowell, Aston Martin's former Team Principal and now Chief Strategy Officer, who brings extensive experience from his successful tenure at Mercedes High Performance Powertrains. Adding further weight to the project, legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey has stepped into the role of team boss, ensuring Aston Martin's technical direction is in expert hands.
Honda's return is particularly notable given its earlier decision to withdraw from Formula 1 in 2021. At that time, the company had agreed only to maintain and supply Red Bull's engines until 2025, prompting Red Bull to begin developing its own power units for the 2026 regulations. However, Honda reversed its stance in 2023, announcing a fresh plan to join forces with Aston Martin. This partnership also marks a milestone for Aston Martin, which previously relied on customer Mercedes engines. From 2026, the team will operate as a full works outfit with a bespoke Honda powertrain.
The Aston Martin Formula 1 car's new engine will carry Honda's newly adopted 'H' logo, symbolizing the brand's broader automotive identity. This emblem will not only feature on Aston Martin's F1 cars but also appear across Honda's other motorsport programs, including IndyCar, Super GT, and Super Formula.
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Lawrence Stroll, executive chairman of Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, said, "I am delighted to celebrate the start of our partnership with Honda here in Tokyo today. Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team and Honda share many values, and those values have brought us together for 2026 and beyond.
"The strong collaboration between the AMR Technology Centre at Silverstone and Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) in Sakura demonstrates the depth of our partnership. We are confident that we have all the elements required to fight for victory in the future and we have tremendous faith in Honda's power unit and the engineers behind it."