Formula 1: Honda’s “multi-team” approach to 2026 engine partnership, according to the Japanese manufacturer

Honda’s deal with defending champions Red Bull ends in 2025; the Japanese manufacturer has signed up to stay in the sport beyond major regulatory changes in 2026; watch pre-season testing live on Sky Sports F1, with coverage from 6.50am from Thursday

Several teams have approached Honda about a partnership when the new era of Formula 1 engines begins in 2026, but no decision has been made on a future involvement, the Japanese manufacturer said.

Honda has a deal to build engines in Japan for reigning drivers and constructors Red Bull and sister team AlphaTauri, but that will end in 2025.

Red Bull has set up its own powertrain company in Milton Keynes and this month announced a new partnership with Ford from 2026.

Honda, which officially retired from F1 after propelling two-time Red Bull world champion Max Verstappen to his first title in 2021, has signed up to be one of six power unit suppliers for 2026 to 2030.

“After completing the check-in, we were contacted by several Formula 1 teams,” Honda Racing Corporation President Koji Watanabe said Monday during a virtual briefing from the team’s headquarters in Sakura.

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“At the moment we would like to keep a close eye on the direction Formula 1 is taking and see how things go,” he added.

“At the moment we have no concrete decision on whether or not we will join Formula 1.

“But…we think being part of Formula 1 is going to help us with the technology development. So that’s where we are.”

Watanabe said F1’s future direction is in line with Honda’s goal of carbon neutrality and increased electrification.

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“That’s why we decided to register as a manufacturer of a power unit,” he explained. “We are curious where Formula 1 is going and how will it go with more electrification.”

The next generation of F1 engines will retain the high-revving 1.6-litre V6s, but with much more electric power and 100% sustainable fuels. The sport also aims to be carbon neutral by 2030.

The powertrain for this year’s Red Bull will be named after the Japanese manufacturer, so it will change from RBPT to Honda RBPT.

Tetsushi Kakuda, Honda’s F1 project manager and chief executive engineer, told reporters the company had been working to resolve reliability issues for 2023.

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Verstappen and his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez say it will be difficult to improve on last year’s performance but they must keep pushing to stay on top this year.

Verstappen won 15 of 22 races last season and Red Bull 17 in all, but the Dutch driver retired in two of the first three rounds.

“Last year, I think all powertrain manufacturers prioritized performance in their development, and so did we,” Kakuda said. “We have made every effort to recover the performance lost due to the E10 fuel introduced by the change in regulations.

“But as a result, the internal engine load has increased significantly compared to the previous year and reliability has been severely compromised. As a result, several issues have emerged during the 2022 season.”

He said Honda had further optimized control and energy management and worked with suppliers to improve the precision of power unit parts and assembly.