McLaren x Honda could be reunited after initial contact made for a sensational F1 partnership

Formula 1 fans may once again see the return of the McLaren-Honda partnership from the 2026 season.

The iconic brand was one of the most legendary pairings in the sport's history in the late 80s as they won multiple championships together and dominated the sport. Both parties once again joined hands at the start of the 2015 season when Honda decided to return to the sport after a seven-year hiatus.

However, they were unable to achieve any kind of success during their second stint together as the engine supplied by Honda was the slowest on the grid. They revoked their partnership after three 'frustrating' years at the end of 2017.

Honda, who officially left the sport at the end of 2021 after partnering with Red Bull after McLaren, is once again eyeing a comeback as an engine supplier to F1. With most of the teams on the grid already announcing their engine deals, there is a possibility that the McLaren F1 may ditch Mercedes for Honda in 2026.

According to The Race, both parties have made initial contact with each other but continue to explore other options as well. The communication between the teams is believed to be in a very early phase but it remains to be seen if it goes any further.

“We’re very happy with Mercedes" - McLaren F1 CEO Zak Brown

Amidst reports of joining hands with Honda, McLaren F1 CEO Zak Brown revealed that the team was very happy with their current engine supplier Mercedes last November. The British team decided to use Mercedes engines at the start of the 2021 season after their two-year deal with Renault ended in 2020.

He stated that they had a long-term deal with the German team and believed that they could win championships, adding:

“We’re very happy with Mercedes. I’m a believer that you can win a world championship with a customer engine. There’s obviously benefits to being a works team with the advanced knowledge that you get. We have a long-term contract with Mercedes, very happy with the collaboration, and aren’t really spending too much time yet thinking about 2026 and beyond,”

In their time together with Mercedes, McLaren has managed to score six podiums, including a famous 1-2 at the 2021 F1 Italian GP. However, they dropped to fifth in the constructor's championship last season and fourth in 2021 and are yet to make the necessary step up in terms of performance in their deal with Mercedes.