Aston Martin and Honda have officially launched their new works Formula 1 partnership with a high-profile event in Tokyo.
The two manufacturers marked the occasion on Tuesday at a dedicated pre-season presentation in the Japanese capital, celebrating the beginning of their long-term collaboration ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Aston Martin Aramco Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll and Honda President and Representative Executive Officer Toshihiro Mibe were both present on stage, alongside Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali, underlining the significance of the alliance for all parties involved.
Aston Martin had competed as a works team since their return to the grid in 2021, running Mercedes power units during that period. However, that arrangement concluded at the end of the previous regulations cycle, with Honda supplying Aston Martin under Formula 1’s sweeping new technical ruleset introduced in 2026.
The transition has been overseen by Aston Martin’s former Team Principal and now Chief Strategy Officer, Andy Cowell, whose experience includes a highly successful tenure at Mercedes High Performance Powertrains. Meanwhile, renowned F1 designer Adrian Newey has stepped into the role of team boss as the Silverstone-based squad prepares for a new era.
“I am delighted to celebrate the start of our partnership with Honda here in Tokyo today,” said Lawrence Stroll. “Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team and Honda share many values, and those values have brought us together for 2026 and beyond.
“The strong collaboration between the AMR Technology Centre at Silverstone and Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) in Sakura demonstrates the depth of our partnership. We are confident that we have all the elements required to fight for victory in the future and we have tremendous faith in Honda’s power unit and the engineers behind it.
“Our journey won’t always be easy and challenges inevitably lie ahead, but winning is what drives both companies forward and together we look forward to many successful years of partnership.”
Honda President Toshihiro Mibe emphasised the importance of Formula 1 to the brand’s identity and engineering philosophy, linking the project directly to the company’s founding principles.
“Honda’s participation in F1, the pinnacle of automobile racing, has been the embodiment of the spirit of the company founder, Soichiro Honda, who inspired Honda engineers to commit to becoming No.1 in the world and to take on the most difficult challenges.
“In 2026, F1 will undergo a major change in regulations for both the chassis and power unit. Honda sees F1 as a symbol of challenge and innovation, and HRC, the global racing arm of Honda, has developed the RA626H, the new power unit for the 2026 season, to meet those challenges.
“Striving to become number one in the world, Honda will continue to take on challenges together with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team.
“Today we also launch a new ‘H’ mark with a refreshed design, which Honda has adopted as the new symbol representing its automobile business. This new H mark symbolises the transformation of Honda’s automobile business so it is an important moment for us.”
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali also addressed the audience, highlighting both the sporting and commercial importance of the partnership and its relevance to the Japanese market.
“This is an exciting moment for the sport of F1, as Honda and the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team join together to fight for the biggest prize of F1,” Domenicali said.
“Formula 1 began racing in Japan in 1976 before moving to Suzuka in 1987, so there is a deep loyalty and connection to the country where a record 13 World Drivers’ Championships have been decided over the years.
“The sport is growing in Japan where there are now nearly 17 million passionate and incredible F1 fans. The Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka last year welcomed 266,000 weekend attendees, and saw a +26% year-over-year increase in TV viewership in Japan. The return of Honda to F1 this year will further boost the potential for the sport here in the Japanese market.
“The exciting next generation of regulations for 2026 is one of the factors that has drawn Honda back to the sport. Those regulations will see both the chassis and PUs updated, in the biggest overhaul in the sport’s history. There will be a simplified hybrid engine that runs on advanced sustainable fuel without impacting the performance.
“F1 echoes the commitment of Honda and Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team to sustainability, and is on target to achieve the goal of Net Zero by 2030 having already delivered a 26% reduction in carbon emissions by year end 2024 compared to 2018.
“F1 welcomes the innovations that are to come and is working with partners such as Honda to push boundaries.”
The next milestone for the Aston Martin–Honda partnership will be the Barcelona Shakedown, scheduled to take place from January 26–30. This will be followed by the team’s official season launch at Ithra in Saudi Arabia on February 9.
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