Honda is to return to Formula 1 in a formal capacity in 2026 as engine partner for the Aston Martin team.
The company officially pulled out of F1 at the end of 2021 but its engines are still used by the two Red Bull teams and are called Hondas again in 2023.
Honda has won the last two drivers’ championships with Red Bull and Max Verstappen and added the constructors’ title last season. The pairing is well on course to repeat its title double in 2023. Red Bull have dominated the start of the season, winning all five races so far.
Red Bull has decided to build its own engine for 2026, and has formed a partnership with US giant Ford to invest in and badge the power-unit.
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.
