Honda simulations suggest their president was wrong about Aston Martin engine upgrade

Follow us on Google Discover

Honda are set to deliver their engine upgrade to Aston Martin at the Pirelli test this week, and initial reports suggest they’ve outdone their initial expectations.

While Aston Martin having to spend a lot to improve the car was far from the ideal scenario for them, their results at the Hungarian Grand Prix will certainly improve the morale around the team.

Adrian Newey’s upgrades to the Aston Martin looked impressive all weekend, and with both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finishing P13 and P14, respectively, the hard work has paid off, at least for now.

Is Fernando Alonso living in la la land, or do you still think Adrian Newey can lead Aston Martin to the very top?

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

But the chassis of the AMR26 was only part of the problem, as many of Aston Martin’s struggles came down to the faulty power unit that Honda developed for them.

However, it appears those issues might be behind them, as Honda have reportedly pulled off a blinder with their latest upgrade – one that even their president, Koji Watanabe, didn’t see coming.

READ MORE: Honda have already discovered a problem with upgraded Aston Martin engine at the factory

Honda’s latest engine upgrade for Aston Martin could ‘drastically’ improve performance despite previous denial

Speaking with Motorsport, veteran F1 journalist Franco Nugnes revealed what he had heard about the upgraded Honda power unit that was set to be debuted at the upcoming Pirelli test at the Hungaroring.

Nugnes claimed that people within Honda expect the new power unit to deliver 50 HP more than the previous unit, which could allow Aston Martin to create further separation between them and the other underperforming teams.

“Let’s remember that on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the Pirelli test scheduled at Budapest, Aston Martin and Honda will debut and test their new engine after the ADOU developments.

“They are expecting around 50 horsepower, and we’re talking about an enormous amount that could further improve Aston Martin’s performance and create a gap within the midfield…”

What makes this revelation interesting is the fact that a month ago, in an interview with Lawrence Borretto, Honda HRC president Koji Watanabe had claimed the engine upgrade wouldn’t make a significant difference.

“The summer upgrade won’t change the situation drastically. We’re working with a long-term perspective.”

READ MORE: Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll made telling gesture to Honda president on Belgian GP grid

Aston Martin could finally reap the rewards of Honda partnership

The last few months of the partnership between Aston Martin and Honda have made people forget just how good the Japanese outfit have been as engine suppliers in the past.

Honda were the power unit supplier for Red Bull during their most recent championship period, supplying Max Verstappen with a championship-level engine.

Even with their struggles in 2026, Honda refused to give up on their F1 venture and continued to work on improving their power unit.

And now, after months of work, Honda could give Aston Martin a reason to smile and appreciate their partnership, if their power unit delivers the way they expect.