Honda Racing CEO Shares Plans for 2026 F1 Season
As the 2025 Formula 1 season comes to a close, Honda Racing CEO Koji Watanabe has revealed the team’s plans for the 2026 season. In an exclusive interview with Kosport Magazine, Watanabe shared details about Honda’s renewed efforts as Aston Martin becomes its works team.
For the past six seasons, Honda has been Red Bull’s powertrain partner, achieving success through Max Verstappen’s three drivers’ titles. However, with the current rules coming to an end, Honda has shifted its focus to developing the electrical infrastructure for the 2026 season. This includes a near 50-50 split between internal combustion engines and electrical power, with a 350kW MGU-K and no turbo-mounted MGU-H.
This approach differs from Red Bull’s, as they have started developing their own in-house powertrain project in partnership with Ford. But according to Watanabe, everything is going according to plan for Honda. “We are initially focusing on the electrical side of the engine, so our focus now is mainly on the electric engine parts and on the battery,” he explained.
While Honda is also developing the internal combustion engine, it is currently only a single cylinder and not yet a V6. But Watanabe assures that everything is in line with their objectives and expectations.
Despite officially leaving F1 as a full-factory power unit supplier at the end of 2021, Honda has retained its partnership with Red Bull through its racing division HRC. This has allowed them to continue building their current power unit following a freeze to the regulations.
However, Watanabe revealed that many of Honda’s staff moved to other projects after their partial exit, leading to a need for new hires to bolster their 2026 project. HRC has also registered a new company in the UK to service and prepare the new powertrains for Aston Martin, with involvement from their US-based division HRC USA.
“When we announced that we would stop our F1 activities, most of the engineers left the F1 department. As a result, we have had to fill all these positions again,” Watanabe shared. “We have registered the [HRC UK] company, but have not decided on the exact location yet. We registered mainly because we want to hire staff in the United Kingdom.”
With the 2026 season still a few years away, Honda is taking the necessary steps to ensure a successful return to F1. And with their renewed focus on the electrical side of the engine, they are determined to make a strong comeback. Stay tuned to Kosport Magazine for more updates on Honda’s plans for the 2026 season.
