Despite their successful partnership ending in 2026, Honda hopes it will reunite with Max Verstappen at some point in the future.
The Japanese manufacturer has powered the Red Bull driver to everyone one of his three world titles, and so far this season all signs point to the pair forging ahead towards their fourth world championship together.
Honda has also helped propel Red Bull Racing to two F1 Constructors’ titles, an outstanding track record for the engine supplier whose catastrophic collaboration with McLaren between 2015 and 2017 is but a very distant memory.
However, all good things come to an end, although Honda hopes that the conclusion of its partnership with Verstappen, ahead of its switch to Aston Martin F1 in 2026, will be merely a mandatory pit stop.
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“I don’t think that day will come within a very short period of time, but if both continue their Formula 1 activities in the future then we hope that we can work together again one day," commented Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe, speaking to Motorsport.com.
"It is a very good relationship. We trust each other and also the Honda workers love Max. We are proud to work together with Max, so we will miss him in the future.
“But we still have two years together and we promise to do our best to win another world championship together with Max and Red Bull.
"He is so important. He is the number one Formula 1 driver now. Of course, the team management is important and the machinery is important as well, but the combination is crucial and one important piece of that is Max."
Reminiscing over the past, Watanabe singled out Verstappen's victory at the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix as his most cherished memory of the Honda-Red Bull partnership.
This wasn't just any win; it marked the dawn of the Red Bull-Honda era and Honda's triumphant return to the top step of the podium after a thirteen-year absence.
The elation was further amplified by Verstappen's heartfelt gesture of including Honda in the post-race celebrations, an act of acknowledgement wasn't lost on the proud Japanese company, solidifying a bond that transcended mere engine supplier and driver.
"My biggest memory is him pointing at the Honda logo on the podium in Austria at the Red Bull Ring," Watanabe said.
"I was there, that was a very special moment for me. I was standing under the podium and that day was so special.
“He always thinks about Honda and says ‘thank you, Honda’ a lot. He expresses his thoughts to the outside world about Honda, which is also important for all the people working for Honda."
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