Sports · Motorsport · 2 hrs ago
Honda says late F1 engine development cost Aston Martin two years
Honda says it effectively lost two years developing Aston Martin’s F1 engine after deciding late to return to the sport and taking time to set up its development team.
The power unit supplies the engine and electrical systems used by Aston Martin’s cars in Formula One.
Honda’s power unit is clearly weaker than rivals’, according to outgoing Honda Racing Corporation chief Koji Watanabe, based on figures from the sport’s governing body.
Honda’s second-specification power unit delivered its intended power gains, but changes to combustion left its drivability similar to the first version.
Fernando Alonso has reported power loss and retired in Azerbaijan, though Honda said it found no engine fault in its checks after that race; it also found no evidence of a turbo problem after Alonso reported one in Singapore.
The power shortfall has left Aston Martin struggling in a season when the team’s car has also had technical problems.
Honda says it can improve drivability through hardware and control changes, while it still needs to work on power.
Honda says it lost almost two years developing the Formula 1 power unit supplied to Aston Martin.
HRC president Koji Watanabe said Honda’s decision to return came later than its competitors and it took time to establish a development organisation.
Honda initially focused on the battery and electric motor, leaving development of the internal combustion engine behind.
Watanabe said Honda met its power target with the Spec 2 upgrade, but changes to combustion made driveability closer to the early Spec 1 version.
He said Honda still lacks power and needs to improve both power and driveability.
- Who
- Honda Racing Corporation, whose power unit is used by Aston Martin. HRC president Koji Watanabe described the development delay.
- What
- Honda says it effectively lost almost two years developing its F1 power unit, leaving its engine development behind.
- When
- Watanabe discussed the development history in October 2026. Honda announced its return in 2023.
- Where
- The power unit is used by Aston Martin in Formula 1. Honda’s development organisation is not located in the sources.
- Why
- Honda returned later than competitors and took time to establish a fully functioning development organisation. It initially prioritised the battery and electric motor.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Honda officially pulled the plug on its Red Bull partnership.
Honda announced its return to Formula 1.
Honda worked to establish a fully functioning development organisation and initially focused on the battery and electric motor.
Honda’s Spec 2 power unit upgrade improved power output but, Watanabe said, driveability regressed closer to early Spec 1 levels.
- Development delay
- Almost two years effectively lost, according to Watanabe
- Return announcement
- 2023
- Initial focus
- Battery and electric motor
- Spec 2 power target
- Achieved, according to Watanabe
- Remaining shortfall
- Honda said it still lacked power
3 sources
What people are saying
As a result, we effectively lost almost two years.
We made the decision to return a year later than our competitors, and it also took time to put the development structure in place.
We achieved the power target we had set for Spec 2, but we also made some changes to the combustion process and other areas.
As a result, driveability regressed to something closer to what we experienced with Spec 1 in its early stages.