Honda to Deliver New Engine to Aston Martin at Zandvoort

Pulse Sports Team 12:59 - 14 July 2026

Honda is set to introduce an upgraded engine for the Aston Martin Formula 1 car at the Dutch Grand Prix, Shintaro Orihara has revealed.

Orihara, Honda's Chief Manager and Chief Engineer trackside, made the comment in the brand's preview for the Belgian Grand Prix. He stated that there were "two more races" before the power unit would be improved.

"We have two more races before we introduce the new engine," Orihara said. "It's important to continue learning with the current specification so we can carry those findings into energy deployment for future races – like Monza, where we also have long straights."

This upgrade will be crucial for Aston Martin's prospects following a disappointing first half of the season, where the team has primarily battled with rookie Cadillac at the back of the grid. Fernando Alonso's sole point came from a chaotic Monaco Grand Prix, where he was only 14th with eight laps remaining.

Honda's power unit was identified as the weakest on the grid under the new ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) mechanism. This allows the Japanese manufacturer opportunities for improvements, and they will introduce this update at Zandvoort after the summer break.

Meanwhile, the AMR26 cars are expected to struggle again in Belgium and Hungary. Alonso and Lance Stroll qualified on the back row in both Silverstone races, more than a second behind the leading Cadillac and over two seconds off the pace to make it into Q2.

"Spa will be a test for manufacturers in terms of energy management, so we need to consider how we'll deploy MGU-K power on the long straights," Orihara added. "Energy harvesting here is quite limited, even considering the track's length. This places a greater emphasis on the correct deployment plan. The straights also demand a lot from the power unit as a whole – not just for performance, but also for reliability. An additional unknown is the variable weather conditions at the track. Silverstone remained dry, so Spa could be the first time we experience truly wet conditions. In terms of weather, anything can happen here."

Aston Martin has openly focused its resources on its 2027 car, as budget caps and aerodynamic testing restrictions make it unlikely for the team to catch the midfield this year.