Honda will return to Formula 1 alongside Aston Martin as part of the major 2026 technical revolution, a regulatory reset that will place far greater emphasis on the electrical side of the power units. As a result, energy management will become even more central and complex, with the Japanese manufacturer revealing that more than 20,000 parameters will be required to control and optimise the system as the on-track debut draws closer.
The biggest change ahead of the 2026 season is the introduction of a completely new technical regulation framework, built around brand-new power units and radically revised aerodynamics. This revolution, strongly oriented towards electrification, has encouraged several manufacturers to invest in a new technical cycle to enter Formula 1, such as Audi and Cadillac, or to return to the championship, as in the case of Honda.
The move towards a formula in which the electrical component will account for around 50 per cent of the total power output of future power units has also increased their relevance from a road car perspective. Major automotive brands are already heavily focused on battery chemistry and optimisation, a field that has always been particularly important for Honda.
While the core principles still echo those of the current hybrid units, the new power units will be profoundly different. The removal of the MGU-H, introduced to reduce costs and simplify the systems, combined with the greater weight of the electrical component, will open the door to energy management strategies that are even more extreme than those seen today.
“Moving to a power unit with a 50:50 split [between electrical energy and the internal combustion engine] means that we must improve the efficiency with which we generate and store electrical energy, but also determine where and how much of it is used,” explained Koki Watanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation. “This is not entirely new: current power units already require management of where energy is recovered and where it is deployed around the circuit, but in 2026 this becomes even more crucial.”
Energy distribution will vary from corner to corner, with the electrical component set to provide significantly more support on corner exit from next year. This will further accentuate differences from track to track: on circuits with short straights, torque during traction phases will play a key role, while on tracks with long straights it will be necessary to prioritise top speed.
This complexity is reflected directly in the numbers. Honda has revealed that it has developed proprietary software capable of managing more than 20,000 parameters in real time, analysing power unit behaviour and optimising energy distribution as efficiently as possible. “Energy usage patterns vary from corner to corner, and a single circuit can generate thousands of different scenarios. At HRC, we have developed in-house software capable of handling more than 20,000 parameters from the power unit data stream, allowing us to identify the most efficient energy usage models.”
This is a fundamental aspect, because the more efficient the power unit becomes, the less teams will need to take risks with aggressive energy-saving tactics. That, in turn, could allow teams to run higher-downforce setups to be more competitive through corners. Hybrid energy management is expected to be one of the defining factors, alongside internal combustion power, leading to different technical approaches between manufacturers. In 2026, this aspect is set to be even more extreme than in the past.
Given the scale of resources invested to make the Aston Martin–Honda project competitive, the ultimate goal is clearly to fight for the world championship. Ambitions are high, but first and foremost it will be necessary to ensure that a car which is entirely new, even in its underlying structures, functions at the highest level. The Silverstone-based team has overhauled its workforce and infrastructure and is collaborating directly with Honda for the first time.
It is no coincidence that Watanabe has avoided setting immediate targets, instead identifying 2026 as a crucial season to assess the strength of the partnership between the two brands and to build solid foundations that maximise their respective expertise. In this context, Aston Martin has also decided to redefine the role of Andy Cowell, the former engine specialist, who will act as a key link between the Silverstone team and Honda.
“The definition of success… for me, 2026 is the year in which we must ensure that the partnership created between Aston Martin Aramco and Honda works as intended, as one fully integrated team,” he said. “What we cannot predict, and what remains outside our control, is the situation of our competitors. Until we know that, we cannot speak about anything beyond achieving our internal objectives for the season. Naturally, in the long term, the ultimate goal of this partnership – and our definition of success – is to win the World Championship.”
The development of a power unit from scratch is divided into six phases, starting with the overall concept. Once the design baseline has been defined, components move into the simulation phase, where the concept is validated before progressing to prototype production and dyno testing. This represents the third phase of the programme, which begins with single-cylinder tests to gather initial data, before evolving towards a complete V6 unit designed to integrate with the car’s chassis and gearbox.
The most delicate and exciting moment will likely be the first shakedown, scheduled for Aston Martin in January. Production of the core elements of the project, those for which there is already a high level of confidence, has been underway for some time. However, certain components will only be finalised after the first fire-up and initial testing, which will determine which parts are approved for full production ahead of the Grands Prix.
The sixth and final phase will be the decisive one during the 2026 season itself: continuing to work, develop and refine the power unit. What will matter is not only the starting point at the beginning of the season, but above all each team’s ability to react, adapt and find winning solutions as the championship unfolds.
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