Honda initially announced its exit from F1 in 2020, and officially withdrew from the championship after helping Max Verstappen clinch his maiden title the following year.
However, it continued to provide power units to Red Bull and still does as part of a supply deal that now runs until the end of the 2025 season.
Honda’s future beyond then had been unclear though, as it was left facing uncertainty about other options on the grid following Red Bull’s decision to tie-up with Ford for its own Powertrains efforts from 2026.
Furthermore, there was intense debate among Honda’s senior management about whether or not to make a formal return to F1 so soon after quitting.
However, Aston Martin’s impressive progress in F1, allied to it being a free agent after 2025 when its current customer Mercedes deal comes to an end, saw it emerge as an ideal candidate for a tie-up.
A deal has now been completed that will see Aston Martin becoming Honda’s official manufacturer team in F1.
Martin Whitmarsh, Group CEO of Aston Martin Performance Technologies, said: “Our future works partnership with Honda is one of the last parts of the jigsaw puzzle slotting into place for Aston Martin’s ambitious plans in Formula 1.”
Honda says its decision to commit to F1 so soon after walking away was triggered by a ramping up of grand prix racing’s sustainability ambitions.
As well as F1 committing to be net carbon zero by 2030, it is switching to fully sustainable fuels from 2026 when new power units will also be boosted by a greater proportion of electrical power.
Toshihiro Mibe, Global CEO of Honda, said: “One of the key reasons for our decision to take up the new challenge in F1 is that the world’s pinnacle form of racing is striving to become a sustainable racing series, which is in line with the direction Honda is aiming toward carbon neutrality, and it will become a platform which will facilitate the development of our electrification technologies.
“We believe that the technologies and know-how gained from this new challenge can potentially be applied directly to our future mass production electric vehicles, such as an electric flagship sports model, and electrification technologies in various areas, including eVTOL which is currently under research and development.”
Having achieved world title success with Red Bull in 2021 and 2022, and currently leading the standings this year, Honda is clear that it is embarking on the partnership with Aston Martin to deliver more championships.
Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe said: “They are currently working on various measures to strengthen the team and strive to win the F1 championship title.
“So, as they have given the high marks to our F1 power unit technology and we can relate to their sincere attitude and also strong passion to win, we decided to work together and strive for the championship title as Aston Martin Honda.”
