Honda admits losing nearly two years: the mea culpa behind Aston Martin's season

A comeback decided too late

Speaking to the Japanese edition of Motorsport.com, Koji Watanabe made no attempt to dress things up. In his view, Honda and Aston Martin have lost almost two years on the road to the new engine rules. The root of the problem lies in the timing of the comeback: Honda registered as a power unit manufacturer in November 2022, but internal approval only came in April 2023. By then, its rivals had already launched their projects.

The circumstances did not help. After the late-2021 withdrawal, many engineers from the previous programme had been moved to departments working on carbon neutrality and advanced technologies. A technical organisation had to be rebuilt, which took longer than planned, with staffing initially too thin. The budget cap and limits on dyno time then held back any attempt at a quick catch-up.

Electric first, combustion later

Another costly choice: Honda first poured its resources into the battery and electric motor, the cornerstones of the 2026 rules and an area where the brand knows it is strong. The combustion engine was only pushed afterwards, leaving less time to develop it fully and stabilise the whole package before the season.

Watanabe himself names the combustion engine's lack of power as the main weakness of the unit supplied to Aston Martin. According to Paddock GP, FIA data used under the ADUO mechanism put Honda clearly below the other manufacturers, although the HRC boss says he does not know his rivals' exact figures.

A season scarred from the winter

On track, the symptoms showed up early. In Bahrain, a battery problem limited Aston Martin's running, and a parts shortage forced Honda to scale back its programme. In China, engine vibrations led Fernando Alonso to retire, the Spaniard explaining he could barely feel his hands and feet. In Singapore he again finished well out of the points, and the team sits tenth in the constructors' championship with 7 points.

The engine is not the whole story. The chassis, the set-up and the integration between the two partners also play their part. But the repeated complaints from Alonso and Lance Stroll about a lack of power now have an official explanation.

A mixed Spec 2, and a change at the top

The second specification was supposed to turn things around. Honda did hit its target of gradual power gains, but changes to the combustion process hurt the engine's behaviour, and the revised turbo did not immediately deliver both power and consistent response. Watanabe admits the driving feel has gone back to something close to the first version, and that the car is still short of power.

Behind the scenes, the organisation chart is shifting. Yoichiro Fukao replaced Tetsushi Kakuda as head of the engine programme on 1 October. Watanabe will step down as HRC president on 1 January 2027, handing over to Keiichi Yasuda. Honda describes the handover as a routine rotation, unrelated to its F1 struggles.

Watanabe insists the partnership is not broken and the goal has not changed, provided the collaboration with Aston Martin is tightened. Keiichi Yasuda will inherit a programme still in catch-up mode, but now backed by a permanent structure designed to stop any future withdrawal from scattering people and know-how again. Two lost years are not recovered in a single winter, and Aston Martin knows that better than anyone.