Newey: Aston Martin only discovered Honda’s gutted F1 programme in Nov 2025

Core summary Aston Martin’s partnership with Honda has floundered from day one – reliability woes, a power deficit and a team that lacks the original engineering talent. Adrian Newey says senior Aston Martin staff only realised the depth of Honda’s staff cuts during a November 2025 visit to Sakura.

Why it matters:

• The AM‑Honda alliance was billed as a title‑contending works deal for the 2026 engine era. Early‑season failures jeopardise Aston Martin’s championship ambitions and its massive financial commitment.
• A weakened Honda unit also reshapes the competitive balance among engine suppliers, giving Audi and Red Bull Powertrains a clearer path to dominance.

The details:

• Gutted programme – After withdrawing in 2021, Honda kept a skeleton crew for Red Bull (2022‑25) under a homologation freeze. When the works deal was announced in May 2023, most senior engineers had already moved to solar‑panel or carbon‑neutrality projects.
• Staffing shortfall – Newey noted that only about 30 % of the original team returned, leaving a “fresh” group with little F1 experience to develop a 2026‑compliant power unit under a new budget cap.
• On‑track symptoms – In Melbourne, both cars suffered battery glitches in FP1 and managed a combined 31 laps in FP2, finishing at the back of the field.
• Mis‑communication – Despite The Race reporting the staffing issue in 2023, Aston Martin’s due‑diligence apparently missed the red flags, or Honda was reticent about the true state of its project.

What's next:

• Honda’s president Koji Watanabe has publicly acknowledged the “back‑foot” start, hinting at a ramp‑up of resources before the mid‑season break.
• Aston Martin will likely push for greater technical input and may seek interim support from external partners to bridge the performance gap.
• The next few races will test whether the re‑built Honda team can close the power and reliability gap before the 2026 season fully unfolds.