Honda Acknowledges Catch-Up Phase with Aston Martin Ahead of 2026 F1 Season

Honda admits its partnership with Aston Martin is currently “playing catch-up” as the Formula 1 teams prepare for the 2026 season. The acknowledgement comes after a challenging pre-season test in Bahrain, where Aston Martin completed the fewest laps of any team and experienced performance deficits.

Bahrain Test Reveals Performance Gaps

During the Bahrain pre-season test, Aston Martin completed only 206 laps, significantly fewer than Red Bull (335 laps), Audi (354 laps), Mercedes-powered teams (361 laps), and Ferrari-powered teams (377 laps) . Lance Stroll, Aston Martin’s driver, reported the AMR26 car was “four seconds” off the pace , although Fernando Alonso also voiced concerns about the car’s feel.

Honda’s Perspective on Early Challenges

Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s Trackside General Manager and Chief Engineer, acknowledged the challenges. “Testing in Bahrain over the last three days was really beneficial for us and for our partnership with Aston Martin as we ran 206 laps ” Orihara stated . “It was a good opportunity to learn a lot from the power unit package itself and its integration in the chassis.”

Orihara continued, “Certainly we have some catching up to do with the overall testing program, but we have gained a significant amount of data and important insights in the last week.” He emphasized the team’s focus on the latest regulations, particularly energy management .

Limited Pre-Season Running

Aston Martin’s difficulties began earlier, arriving late to the shakedown test in Barcelona and completing only two of the permitted three days of running. This limited track time contributed to the deficit heading into the Bahrain test .

Focus on Energy Management and Future Improvements

The team is concentrating on optimizing energy management within the new 2026 regulations, which place a greater emphasis on electrical energy harvesting and deployment. Honda is committed to addressing the issues and improving performance. “We know where we can create improvements together with the team,” Orihara said . The team is looking forward to further testing and maximizing its potential.

Honda’s RPM is also reported to be 2500 lower than other engines in Bahrain .