Honda changes 2026 F1 engine leadership amid Aston Martin struggles

Honda begins planned transition in F1 engine programme

Honda is changing the leadership of its Formula 1 engine development programme as it prepares for the regulatory changes arriving in 2026 and beyond.

Both engineers have spent more than two decades within Honda’s motorsport operation, working across its Formula 1 and MotoGP programmes. The manufacturer said the change is intended to establish a stronger development framework at an early stage of the new regulations.

Aston Martin partnership remains under pressure

The leadership change comes during a difficult first season for Honda and Aston Martin. Their poor form has become one of the defining storylines of F1 2026, with the partnership ahead of only newcomer Cadillac in the constructors’ standings after scoring three points all season.

Upgrades to both the chassis and engine on either side of the summer break offered some encouragement, but neither package has produced a decisive transformation. Driveability remains a particular concern, adding to the pressure on Honda’s development programme.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has met Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll to discuss a possible action plan for Honda, including potential development concessions. The intervention underlines the scale of the challenge facing the manufacturer and its works partner.

Lance Stroll retired early from Sunday’s Spanish Grand Prix, while Fernando Alonso finished 17th, two laps behind the leader. Alonso said the engine was “very bad” during the race and that boost control had been difficult, although early damage also affected his pace. His wider frustration is explored in Alonso’s warning that F1 cannot continue this way.

Krack expects slower power-unit progress

Asked about the upgraded engine’s progress across the three events since its introduction, Aston Martin chief trackside officer Mike Krack accepted that gains from the power unit would come more slowly than improvements on the chassis.

“We are in this together,” Krack said, adding that Honda and Aston Martin had solved several previous problems and would continue to make progress step by step. For a partnership under immediate competitive pressure, the revised Honda structure is therefore aimed at building momentum rather than promising an instant turnaround.