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Honda will introduce an updated power unit for Aston Martin at the Dutch Grand Prix, according to trackside general manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara. The confirmation came in Honda’s Belgian Grand Prix preview, where Orihara said there would be “two more races” before the new engine was introduced.
“We have two more races before we introduce the new engine,” Orihara said. “It’s important to keep learning with this current spec, so we can take those energy deployment findings into future races – like Monza, where we also have the long straights.”
That schedule places the upgrade at Zandvoort, following the summer break. Honda’s power unit has been identified as the weakest on the grid under the new ADUO mechanism, which provides additional development and upgrade opportunities. For Aston Martin, the update represents an important opportunity to address a deficit that has compounded an already difficult opening half of the season.
The team’s AMR26 cars are expected to struggle again in Belgium and Hungary. At Silverstone, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll qualified on the back row, more than one second behind the leading Cadillac and over two seconds away from the Q2 cut-off.
Alonso’s only point of the season came after a chaotic Monaco Grand Prix, where he was running 14th with eight laps remaining. Aston Martin has also been focusing its resources on its 2027 car, while the budget cap and aerodynamic testing restrictions make a significant recovery into the midfield this season unlikely.
Spa will place particular emphasis on how Aston Martin manages its available energy. Orihara said the circuit would test manufacturers’ energy management, with limited harvesting increasing the importance of the deployment plan on the long straights. The power unit will also face demands in both performance and reliability.
“An added unknown is the changeable weather conditions at the circuit,” Orihara added. “At Silverstone it remained dry, so Spa could be the first time where we have proper wet conditions in a session. In terms of the weather, anything can happen here.”
The wider weekend context is covered in our 2026 Belgian Grand Prix guide, but Aston Martin’s immediate focus is clear: extract useful deployment data at Spa, survive the next two races and wait for Honda’s upgraded power unit at Zandvoort.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.
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