Starting from 2026, F1’s new regulations mandate a 50/50 split between the turbocharged engine and hybrid system. When this new era of Formula 1 arrives, Honda will partner with Aston Martin. This new collaboration will follow after Honda’s time with Red Bull ends at the end of 2025. In preparation, the Japanese manufacturer has created a new subsidiary in the United Kingdom, where a factory will be opened.
HRC UK: THE ACTIVITIES OF THE NEW BRITISH BRANCH
Current president Koji Watanabe will lead the Honda Racing Corporation UK Ltd (HRC UK). They will begin recruiting engineers, technicians and staff in the spring of this year. The press release released today by the Japanese company specifies:
“This new company was founded to mainly carry out post-race maintenance and preparation activities for the F1 Power Units (PUs) built by Honda, also operating as a logistics base for the European region. The creation of HRC UK will further enhance the effectiveness of Honda’s PU operations, supporting the partnership with the Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team.”
California-based HRC USA is believed to also contribute a similar role. The hectic F1 calendar includes five events in North Central America (Miami, Austin, Las Vegas, Montreal, and Mexico City). The North American subsidiary will incorporate staff from Aston Martin for this purpose.
THE PARTNERSHIP WITH ASTON MARTIN
In today’s press release, Honda recalled the details of the agreement signed last year with the British team:
“In May 2023, Honda and Aston Martin F1 jointly announced that they will enter into a working partnership so that Honda supplies its F1 PUs compliant with new F1 regulations that will come into force in the 2026 season.” Currently, Aston Martin mounts uses engines supplied by Mercedes on their single-seaters.
THE YEARS WITH RED BULL: TRIUMPHS AND SECOND THOUGHTS
As mentioned, Honda’s relationship with Red Bull will end in 2025. The partnership took its first steps in 2018 when the Japanese company began supplying engines to Toro Rosso. This partnership was crucial, following McLaren’s decision to cut ties with Honda.
In 2019, the HRC power units made their Red Bulld debut with the RB15. Max Verstappen achieved three wins with this car, the first for Honda engines since their first stint with McLaren, which lasted from 1988 to 1992. At the end of 2021, after winning the drivers’ Championship, Honda withdrew from F1.
This made way for the newly formed Red Bull Powertrains to continue producing their own power units. In 2023, the Japanese company made a U-turn with a new agreement, which in today’s press release is summarized as follows:
“The company currently provides technical support and marketing cooperation as a team partner of Oracle Red Bull Racing and VISA Cash App RB F1 Team. As part of this technical support, HRC manufactures and supplies PUs together with support for the operation of PUs throughout the season to Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT), a Red Bull group company responsible for the construction of F1 PUs and the production and operation of the ESS (Energy Storage System) for the current PU F1. This partnership will continue through the 2025 season.”
On the other side, Red Bull already announced last year that from 2026, it will produce its own power unit in collaboration with Ford.
