Honda confirms ‘last phase of development’ in latest Aston Martin progress update

Aston Martin engine partner Honda has revealed that its F1 2026 upgrade is in line with expectations ahead of its arrival at the Dutch Grand Prix next month.

Aston Martin’s recovery from a poor start to the season will step up with the arrival of a B-spec AMR26 at next weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix.

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That will be followed by a Honda update in the Netherlands, the first race after the summer break, which will be held in late August.

Speaking to PlanetF1.com and other media outlets at the British Grand Prix earlier this month, trackside general manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara confirmed the first details of Honda’s updated power unit.

Orihara revealed that the upgrade has focused on the internal combustion engine, with Honda also aiming to improve reliability and reduce friction with modifications to the lubrication system.

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In an update ahead of this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, Orihara teased that the signs look promising.

He told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets: “I think we have three weeks [of summer break] before going to the Netherlands.

“At this point, our engine for the Netherlands is on the dyno to have some sign of testing to bring to the Netherlands.

“So I think progress is good. I’m not saying performance is achieved [is] top level, but progress is good as we plan.

“So we are excited to get more power in the Netherlands.”

Asked if the data from the dyno is in line with Honda’s expectations, he replied: “So far, yes.

“As far as our understanding, progress is as good as we expected.”

Asked to clarify that Honda’s upgrade will not feature improvements to the electrical ancillaries, Orihara confirmed that the internal combustion engine remains the manufacturer’s only focus.

He said: “We just focus on the power unit engine power.”

Orihara added that improvements to the engine’s driveability will be made in the final phase of development before the Dutch Grand Prix.

Pressed on the issue of driveability, he added: “That is still ongoing. The last phase of development is to improve driveability [along] with the gearbox.

“So we are now working hard to get better driveability with the new power unit.”

Orihara’s update on Honda’s progress comes after Adrian Newey, the Aston Martin team principal, recently confirmed the first details of the B-spec AMR26.

According to Newey, Aston Martin is targeting a “significant weight reduction” in Budapest via changes to the chassis and gearbox architecture.

Modifications to the rear suspension and aerodynamic surfaces are also expected, with the new-look AMR26 also set to feature a new nose design.

Newey added that Aston Martin is “predicting a large step” with the upgrade.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher  

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