Honda previously enjoyed major success in Formula 1 during the late 1980s and early 1990s with McLaren and William.Honda Motor on Tuesday said it will re-enter Formula 1 as a power unit supplier from the 2026 season through a works partnership with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team, marking the Japanese manufacturer’s full return to the championship after stepping back from direct involvement in 2021.
According to the official press release, Honda, at an event in Tokyo, confirmed it will supply a newly developed hybrid power unit, the RA626H, designed to meet the sport’s 2026 technical regulations that place greater emphasis on electrification and sustainable fuels.
The programme will be led by Honda Racing Corporation, the company’s global motorsport arm.
Toshihiro Mibe, global chief executive of Honda, said the regulatory overhaul coming in 2026 had influenced the company’s decision to return. The new rules will increase the proportion of electrical power to roughly three times current levels and require the use of advanced sustainable fuel in the internal combustion engine.
“F1 is evolving into a next-generation motorsport that takes on the challenges of both electrification and decarbonisation,” Mibe said. He added that Honda views the championship as a platform to develop technologies that can be transferred to road cars and other mobility applications, including eVTOL aircraft and sustainable aviation fuels.
Redesigned ‘H’ logo
Honda will introduce a redesigned “H” logo on the 2026 cars and across its wider motorsport activities. The company said expertise gained in F1—particularly in high-efficiency combustion, thermal management and high-speed electric motors—would feed into future hybrid and electric vehicle development.
The partnership gives Aston Martin its first full works engine collaboration since joining the grid as a constructor in 2021. Executive chairman Lawrence Stroll said the integration of chassis and power unit development was essential to the team’s ambition of competing for championships.
“A true works partnership with Honda means the car is designed as one integrated package,” Stroll said. He pointed to the team’s new facilities at Silverstone, including a wind tunnel and data centre, as key elements of its long-term plan.
Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali welcomed Honda’s return, noting the sport’s growing audience in Japan and globally. According to Formula 1, worldwide fan numbers reached 827 million in 2025, while last year’s Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka attracted 266,000 spectators over the race weekend.
The 2026 regulations represent the biggest technical reset in the sport’s history, with simplified hybrid systems and a stronger sustainability focus. Formula 1 says it has reduced carbon emissions by 26 per cent since 2018 and is targeting net-zero by 2030.
Honda previously enjoyed major success in Formula 1 during the late 1980s and early 1990s with McLaren and Williams, and more recently won the 2021 drivers’ championship with Red Bull Racing.
