Just a day after Adrian Newey’s arrival at the Aston Martin factory to embark on his new journey with the team of Alonso and Stroll, another significant announcement has been made for the squad. Honda HRC, their new exclusive engine supplier starting from 2026, has opened a new facility in Milton Keynes, approximately 30 kilometers from Aston’s technology campus, located near the entrance roundabout of the Silverstone circuit, which hosts the British Grand Prix every year.
To maximize synergy with their new F1 partner – currentlySupplying Red Bull and RB – this new division will be in close contact with Newey, Cowell, and the entire team to ensure a perfect integration, avoiding the issues faced by McLaren in 2015. It’s known that the new power unit is being developed at HRC Sakura in Sakura City, Japan, which will feature 475CV from the traditional thermal part and an additional 475 (approximately 350 KW) from the electric part, achieving a 50/50 hybrid balance.
Furthermore, HRC US, which manufactures Indycar engines, has also participated in the new engine development, particularly in the variable power aspect, such as the ‘push to pass’ feature, which will be a distinctive element of the new F1 regulations, albeit in a different modality that will be automatic when pursuing a rival on a straight. The new magic button, as it’s been dubbed, promises to revolutionize the racing experience.
The facility itself, housed in the same building that was founded in 2019 as HRD UK, was previously utilized by Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT), the power unit division of Red Bull, following Honda’s temporary withdrawal from F1 in 2021. However, Honda has now reacquired the premises for its own use. Koji Watanabe, President and CEO of HRC, will also serve as the President of HRC UK, with an initial contract duration of 10 years with Aston.
Cowell Explains Challenges in Bahrain
Andy Cowell, the new CEO of Aston Martin and team principal, recently discussed some of the challenges posed by Honda’s arrival and the measures to be implemented immediately. Having developed the current Mercedes engine, which dominated for eight consecutive years since 2014, Cowell appears to be the ideal person to tackle a change of this magnitude, especially with the drastic regulatory changes in both mechanical and aerodynamic aspects.
“Honda is a highly capable brand, considering the number of victories they’ve achieved and championships they’ve won in recent years. The Honda engine has won more than Mercedes in recent years, so you have to take your hat off to them,” Cowell said, referring to the four world championships won with Verstappen at Red Bull.
“I’ve visited their factory and I’m impressed with the group of people working there. Their ambition, creativity, drive, sense of humor, and facilities are impressive. The same applies to Aramco and Valvoline. I’m aware of the path they’re on, so I can empathize and support what they’re doing. I can help ensure that the Silverstone engineering team works closely with the Sakura engineering team, and I’m learning more about the racing car development environment every day.”
Cowell further emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, “I suppose, along with my experience in power units, I hope to bring the teams together and explain things from each other’s perspective. When a power unit engineer says, ‘Yes, but what about this?’, I can understand and explain it. As a collective, we’re pursuing the creation of a truly efficient racing car, aerodynamically efficient, efficient in the power unit, and in each system. If you seek efficiency, the stopwatch usually says you’ve done it well.”
