“Fitting hand in glove”: Aston Martin Insider delighted with 2026 project involving former Red Bull associates Honda

The Silverstone-based Aston Martin Formula 1 team is excited amid the ongoing background work around the 2026 engine in partnership with Honda. The Japanese manufacturer supplied engines to Red Bull from 2019 to 2021. Since then, it has been in a technical partnership with the Austrian team until the end of the 2025 F1 season.

Aston Martin has put a lot of effort into the 2026 regulations, and its team principal, Andy Cowell, has asserted that his team and Honda are working very closely with regard to the 2026 engine.

In line with this, Cowell, via Motorsportweek, has said:

"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. 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."

Honda officially put pen to paper in regard to becoming Aston Martin's works partner from 2026 onwards on May 23, 2023. Moreover, it is believed that the increased role of the electric element in the power units and the introduction of 100% sustainable fuels played a key role in enticing the Japanese manufacturer to make a full-scale return.

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Andy Cowell's take on Adrian Newey's impact on Aston Martin

F1 British Grand Prix 2025 - Source: Getty

While Andy Cowell has recently taken the time to talk in-depth about Aston Martin's 2026 partnership with Honda, he has also cast light on the big signing of the legendary aerodynamicist and former Red Bull employee Adrian Newey. The Brit was officially signed by the Silverstone-based team in September 2024, with work starting from March 1, 2025, onwards.

Newey has been working on the design for the 2026 car for some time, and in line with his impact at Aston Martin, Cowell said the following a few days ago, via F1:

"Adrian is an amazing individual. He's got great experience but the thing he loves is being at the drawing board thinking about the design of a racing car. And it's not just one part on the racing car, it's the whole system and so since March, he's spent hour after hour after hour at his drawing board just thinking about suspension concepts, the monocoque, where to put the engine, how to position the driver."

Adrian Newey has a star-studded CV in the extremely challenging world of F1. His stint with Red Bull began in 2006 and lasted till 2024. During this time, he amassed six constructors' and eight drivers' championships courtesy of the efforts of top drivers like Sebastian Vettel (ret. at the end of 2022 from F1) and the reigning world champion, Max Verstappen.

One of the main reasons behind bringing Adrian Newey to Aston Martin has been to make the outfit a championship-worthy team. As already discussed, he has been working on the 2026 car for quite some time, and considering the challengers he has produced over the years, it will be fascinating to see what kind of machinery he will come up with for 2026.