Lawrence Stroll Honda meeting clarified by Newey

Adrian Newey confirmed that Aston Martin team owner Lawrence Stroll met with Honda in Japan, as part of a “scheduled meeting”.

The Aston Martin team principal confirmed that he joined remotely, and insists he sees “a lot of promise” in Honda’s F1 2027 plans.

Lawrence Stroll and Honda meeting confirmed by Newey

Following a challenging Singapore Grand Prix for Aston Martin – Fernando Alonso complaining of power unit driveability and deployment issues – rumours emerged online that Lawrence Stroll had travelled to Japan for a meeting with Honda at its Sakura base.

Newey confirmed this as truth, though explained the full picture.

“That was a scheduled meeting,” he clarified at the United States Grand Prix in Austin.

“So between Honda and Aston Martin, they are what’s called senior executive meetings, which are scheduled once every two or three months. So that was one of them.

“The rest of us, such as myself, joined online.”

It has been a challenging first season in the Aston Martin and Honda alliance, Alonso having scored all seven of the team’s points so far in F1 2027.

Newey was quizzed on what percentage of the deficit is chassis versus power unit.

“The current deficit is fairly clear. It’s seen in the ADUO [Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities].

“The ADUO, of course, is only a power measurement, and as we all know, there’s lots of other factors that combine to make the overall performance of the PU installed in the chassis, so there’s no point in dwelling on that.

“I think relative deficit between chassis and engine, I think it’s probably not for me to say. I think if people look at the GPS, then you can start to get a much better picture from that.

“And then moving forward for ’27, then Honda, there’s a lot of energy and projects on the way now that perhaps are in their early stages of development, but we see a lot of promise from those.

“Too early to comment on exactly where the PU will be at the start of the season, and whether then, assuming it’s allowed under the PUAC [Power Unit Advisory Committee], there will be a further development for what will be race eight at the end of the first period.”

While recent rounds have been particularly trying for Aston Martin and Honda, with reliability gremlins creeping back in, Newey has seen a major improvement in team spirit and collaboration.

He also emphasised the capabilities of Honda.

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“We’re making huge amounts of progress. It really feels now like the team’s coming together. The spirit, team spirit within the engineering offices, in particular, I think, is very strong now.

“You see a lot of ideas being generated, a lot of people chatting with each other, working late in the evening. You can feel the buzz in the factory now.

“Honda obviously are working hard. A great company, as we all know, capable of great things, as they’ve proved many times in the past.

“We are working closely with them, and so hopeful of the future.”

Newey was quizzed on whether the early stages of this Honda partnership reminds him of his experience with the Japanese manufacturer at Red Bull.

Honda, after an underwhelming McLaren reunion, began supplying power units to the Red Bull junior team Toro Rosso in 2018. That extended to the senior Red Bull Racing squad from 2019.

Honda went on to power Max Verstappen’s four world championship wins, and two Red Bull Constructors’ titles.

“I would say at the moment, in all truth, Honda are a little bit behind where Red Bull, as the works team RBR, picked up Honda in ’19,” claimed Newey.

“But that obviously was four seasons after they first came back in, in ’15. So this is their first year back in.

“Repeating myself, they’re a great company. I have every confidence that they will accelerate quickly and understand the problems of these particular PU regulations.”

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