Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation, has revealed key details about the work being carried out with Aston Martin on the development of the new power unit.
The Japanese manufacturer, after a successful period alongside Red Bull, will make its official return to Formula 1 in 2026 with the Silverstone-based team. Honda is beginning a new chapter with Aston Martin and is once again working alongside Adrian Newey. Koji Watanabe outlined the main areas that are driving the development of the power unit in close collaboration with the other departments within the team.
The engine will undergo significant changes ahead of the next season. Under the new regulations, power will be split evenly between the electric component and the internal combustion engine. Fuel efficiency will also become a crucial factor, one that manufacturers will need to exploit to the maximum in order to gain an advantage over their rivals in the new regulatory era.
The organisation of power unit development
The President of Honda Racing Corporation explained how work is progressing together with Aston Martin in preparation for 2026: “I think Honda probably cannot live without F1. Looking specifically at technology, however, the changes to the power unit regulations for 2026 were a major factor in Honda’s decision to return to racing,” he stated.
The British team is working closely with the Japanese manufacturer by creating a direct link between the two bases: “At the moment, there are Aston Martin Aramco engineers working at HRC Sakura in Japan, and HRC engineers based in Silverstone at the AMR Technology Campus.” This structure is considered fundamental in order to combine expertise and maintain full awareness of the work being carried out across all areas of the project.
Watanabe also highlighted an advantage created by the different time zones between the two countries: “Japan is awake and working while the United Kingdom is sleeping, and vice versa, so the project moves forward 24 hours a day. When someone arrives at work, they can receive a new set of results and updated data from the other side of the world.”
The reunion with Adrian Newey
The legendary former Red Bull engineer is once again working with Honda after their previous experience together in Milton Keynes. Adrian Newey is focused primarily on chassis and aerodynamic development, but the overall project must be fully aligned with the power unit. Watanabe confirmed that Newey is one of the people he speaks with most frequently. It is also worth recalling that the British engineer will become Aston Martin’s Team Principal starting from next year.
“We have our own processes and our own roadmap to create a power unit that is efficient and competitive. Adrian has been working from day one to do the same for the chassis. We are working closely together and communicating a great deal at the point where these two areas come together,” added the President of Honda Racing Corporation in an interview with Aston Martin.
Leave a Reply