Japanese vehicle manufacturer Sling He announced at a press conference this Wednesday that he will return to Formula 1 in 2026. As a supplier of engines and other equipment for the Aston Martin team.
Honda president Toshihiro Mibe, who sees the company’s participation in racing sports as a source of income, said: “Honda has decided to participate in the Formula 1 world championship as an engine supplier from the 2026 season.” “a research tool” for the development of its products.
Honda withdrew from Formula 1 (F1) in 2021 to focus its resources on decarbonizing its models, although they maintained a technical maintenance agreement until 2025 with Red Bull, from which it supplied engines until its final withdrawal. Aston Martin with the Aramco Honda team.
Mibe is one of the firm’s many young engineers. “They expressed their desire to accept new challenges” and believes the company can “Gain substantial value by joining F1”.
“A partnership with Honda is the final piece of the puzzle that has positioned Aston Martin as a leader. best team to win world championships“, said Lawrence Stroll, owner of the English team, who was present at Wednesday’s announcement.
Stroll said Formula 1 is in the “DNA” of both companies and that “choosing to join forces was an easy decision for us”.
The Canadian driver thanked the Honda board for ““Seeing the potential” of alliance with Aston Martin and praised the Japanese company’s “enduring and impressive” record in F1: six drivers, six constructor titles and 89 victories.
return to competition
The Japanese manufacturer joined Formula 1 in 1964, shortly after launching its first vehicles.
Company He made his debut in the category in 1968. and after a parenthesis, back in 1983 Over the next decade, he would leave a significant mark on the competition as an engine supplier to teams like Williams and McLaren.
The bursting of the financial bubble in Japan caused Honda to withdraw from Formula 1 again in 1992. He would return to the sport for eight years as a team in 2000, until the financial crisis caused by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers forced the company to rethink. again his activities.
It would return to the forefront of competition as McLaren’s engine supplier in 2015, and four years later it would begin its alliance with Red Bull, to which it continues to provide technical assistance despite leaving as technology supplier in 2021.
It was a “painful but necessary decision”. “Created the desired effect within the company”Hoping Honda’s return to racing “will respond more than ever to the encouragement and expectations of fans,” said Mibe.
with new regulations
Mibe said Honda plans to return to Formula 1 from 2026 as part of new regulations on the construction of power units.
F1 has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 and will be mandatory from 2026 Use of 100% carbon neutral fuel.
In a separate statement from the company, it added that this change “aligns with Honda’s direction on carbon neutrality and is critical to the development of future technologies to achieve this.”
“Technology and knowledge gained in how a race is won are directly Competitiveness in mass production of electric vehicles in the future“thinks of Mibe, who sees F1 as a great laboratory for the company.