Honda President Reveals 'Intense' Technical Exchanges with Adrian Newey at Aston Martin

Honda Racing Corporation President Koji Watanabe has revealed he frequently engages in "quite intense" technical discussions with Adrian Newey as they collaborate on Aston Martin's 2026 Formula 1 project. The pair, who previously worked together during Red Bull's dominant era, are now focused on integrating Honda's power unit with Newey's chassis for the AMR26, set to launch on February 9.

Why it matters:

This partnership reunites one of the most successful technical collaborations in recent F1 history. Newey's legendary design prowess combined with Honda's championship-winning power unit expertise could create a potent package, potentially disrupting the established competitive order. Their ability to navigate intense but productive exchanges will be critical to Aston Martin's ambitions of becoming a consistent front-runner.

The details:

• Watanabe described their first meeting at Aston Martin as filled with laughter, noting it felt like "Well, here we are again!" following their successful Red Bull tenure.
• The discussions, while intense, are firmly focused on the singular goal of winning. Topics range from detailed component design and competitor analysis to personnel management and optimizing the cost cap.
• Newey is known for his uncompromising approach to chassis packaging, which naturally leads to robust exchanges with Honda's power unit development team as they work to merge their systems seamlessly.
• The AMR26, the first car fully developed under Newey's leadership as incoming Team Principal, will be unveiled on February 9, shortly after a closed-door test in Barcelona.

The big picture:

Newey has already hinted that the 2026 technical regulations offer "more flexibility for innovation" than initially apparent, echoing his sentiment before Red Bull's dominant 2022 season. This has led to speculation, including from 1996 champion Damon Hill, that Newey may have identified a key regulatory opportunity. The reunion with Honda and the new ruleset provide a clean slate for Newey to potentially work his magic once again, aiming to replicate past success with a new team.

What's next:

All eyes will be on the AMR26 launch and subsequent testing. The car's performance in Bahrain tests (February 11-13 and 18-20) will offer the first tangible clues about the effectiveness of the Newey-Honda partnership. Their progress will be a major storyline heading into the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 8, indicating whether Aston Martin can immediately challenge at the front or if it will be a longer-term project.