The partnership between Aston Martin and Honda started well below expectations in the 2026 Formula 1 season, but Adrian Newey identified a positive aspect during the difficult period. For the British team’s director, the problems brought the two parties closer and strengthened the working relationship.
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The Japanese manufacturer began its new partnership with Aston Martin in 2026, precisely with the arrival of the new generation of power units. Both the team and Honda faced difficulties in the first half of the season, while both sides work to find greater performance.
Asked about the evolution of the partnership, Newey highlighted that the main progress occurred in the relationship between Aston Martin and Honda: “What really progressed is precisely the word you just used, relationship,” said the team principal to the press.
The director acknowledged that the start of the collaboration could only be described as ‘disastrous’, but assessed that the difficulties had a constructive consequence: “This brought Honda and us, AMR, into a very close working relationship,” he said.
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Aston Martin presented a significant update at the Hungarian GP, managing to reduce its lap time, although it is still several seconds behind the front teams. Honda, in turn, is preparing its own update for the return of the season in Zandvoort, at the Dutch GP.
For Newey, maintaining the partnership in a positive environment is essential while both sides continue working on development: “We keep developing this in all areas. I am very pleased with the progress we are making from the relationship point of view,” he added.
In the director’s assessment, strengthening this connection can directly contribute to the next steps: “Usually, if relationships improve, performance also improves,” he concluded.
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