Honda 2026 engine fitting ‘hand in glove’ with Aston chassis - Cowell

Aston Martin team boss Andy Cowell has confirmed encouraging progress on the integration of Honda’s 2026 F1 power unit with the team’s next-generation chassis, describing the development process as both seamless and collaborative.

With the Japanese manufacturer partnering with Aston Martin from the 2026 season onward – ending its seven-year association with Red Bull – the Silverstone-based squad is preparing for a major leap from customer to works team status.

Cowell says both sides are working closely to ensure a smooth technical transition ahead of sweeping regulation changes.

“Fitting Hand in Glove”

Speaking to F1.com, Cowell revealed that months of behind-the-scenes collaboration have resulted in a strong integration between Honda’s upcoming power unit and Aston Martin’s chassis and transmission.

“The work’s been going on for many, many months so the design of the Honda power unit is very much fitting hand in glove with the back of our monocoque and the front of our transmission,” Cowell explained.

He also confirmed that physical testing is already underway on both sides of the partnership.

“The hardware has been tested in Sakura [Honda's power unit base in Japan] and our transmission has been tested here at Silverstone as well as on the back of the power unit in Sakura.

“There are daily meetings and then there are regular more senior level meetings to check in to make sure that we're all working in the right direction.”

The integration comes at a critical time for Aston Martin, which is undergoing a large-scale transformation – not only in its engine partnership but also in facilities, staffing, and organizational structure.

Transformation to a Works Team

Cowell acknowledged the scale of the challenge, but praised the team’s energy and mindset during what is arguably the most pivotal phase in Aston Martin’s Formula 1 history.

“It is a transformation going from a customer team to a works team at the same time as all the regulation changes and the new factory and all the new equipment,” Cowell said. “It's a huge transformation for everybody in our team.”

“But I'm really impressed with the enthusiasm that everybody's got. Everybody wants to get to the front. Everybody wants to do well.”

“Everybody's open-minded to making changes in the way we work in responsibilities and so on. Everybody's busy, everybody's making lots of change, but it's enjoyable change.”

Honda Bringing Confidence and Familiar Faces

Honda Racing president Koji Watanabe has also voiced confidence in the new partnership, especially as the Japanese manufacturer builds upon its learnings from its most recent stint with Red Bull.

“We had discontinued the project with Formula 1 so we were not prepared in 2015,” Watanabe explained. “We started from zero. Now we’re not starting from zero, so it is a smoother development.”

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The Japanese executive also highlighted the reunion with former Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey – who joined Aston Martin earlier this year as a shareholder and managing technical partner – as a key asset in the pursuit of a competitive 2026 package.

“It is an honour to work together again with Newey at Aston Martin. We will work together to create a competitive F1 car,” Watanabe said.

With both Honda and Aston Martin charting a new course in tandem, expectations are steadily rising for the works team project – one that Cowell believes is taking all the right steps toward becoming a serious contender when the new era of Formula 1 begins.

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