Honda will exclusively supply Aston Martin in 2026

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Aston Martin will switch from Mercedes to Honda engines for the 2026 Formula 1 season – and they will most likely be supplied by the Japanese manufacturer only. “In 2026 we will be the only team to drive with Honda,” confirms Aston Martin team boss Mike Krack on the sidelines of the Monaco Grand Prix.

It is not planned that the second team may also have Honda power equipment; However, as it is today, it cannot be completely excluded: “If there are not enough suppliers,” explains Krack, Honda may be forced “by principle” to supply other teams with power units.

Because the rules state that a team that has not found an engine partner can contact the FIA. It then decides that the manufacturer that provides the fewest teams must provide the relevant team. If there are two manufacturers with the fewest teams that offer the same number of teams, a vote decides if there is a doubt.

At the end of 2021, Honda withdrew from Formula 1, at least at the factory. In fact, Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) remained a partner of Red Bull through the back door. And because the production of the engine was stopped at the end of 2021, Aston Martin is not worried about the state of the art of Honda: “I don’t know. I think they are behind “Krack insists.

Why is association unusual?

Collaboration is always natural. Because Mercedes is not only a partner of the Aston Martin Formula 1 team, but also a shareholder in the sports car manufacturer Aston Martin Lagonda (like Toto Wolff, by the way). Since these are independent companies, a constellation is possible.

Krack does not expect major problems in communication between the Aston Martin factory in Silverstone and the Honda site in Sakura, Japan. Also because the team’s top level personnel have already worked with Honda: Martin Whitmarsh at McLaren, technical director Dan Fallows at Red Bull Honda.

Krack: “The world has moved closer”

“The world as a whole has moved closer,” says Krack. “15 years ago, traveling in Japan was a very different thing than it is today. You can see that in working relationships. It is much easier to manage today. And we understand Japanese culture better. And Japanese people understand European culture or Western culture better. more.”

“In our previous meetings, I was impressed by the openness,” explains Krack, citing past problems in communication with Honda, when the European Formula 1 teams sometimes had difficulty dealing with the reluctance of the Japanese interlopers because of this some things were not only. t said.

Krack is convinced that “everything is completely different than it was 20 or 25 years ago.” And: “Dan or Martin’s relationships help, of course, because they know each other’s faces and people. So far, all discussions have been very open and very transparent. And we hope to continue like that,” says Aston-Martin. – Team boss.