Honda, supplier of power units to the Aston Martin Formula 1 team, has announced that a new version of its engine will make its debut in track testing on July 29, 2026. This unit, which will be officially introduced at the Dutch Grand Prix, will be equipped in the Aston Martin AMR26 car for a day of filming.
Since the introduction of the new generation of cars into Formula 1 in 2026, Aston Martin Honda has faced challenges in achieving the desired performance. The British team opted for an approach of major upgrades rather than incremental modifications and launched its first significant package at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The results were encouraging, with Fernando Alonso reaching Q2 for the first time this season in a qualifying session, and both Lance Stroll (13th) and Alonso (14th) improving their starting positions in the race.
The Aston Martin team continues with a schedule of innovations, and the next major update is scheduled for the Dutch Grand Prix, which will take place after the summer break.
However, Honda had already signaled the introduction of a modernized power unit for the event in the Netherlands. After the race in Hungary, it was confirmed that the Aston Martin AMR26 with the new engine would be taken to the track for a test filming session.
Shintaro Orihara, Track General Manager and Chief Engineer at Honda Racing (HRC), offered his comments following the conclusion of the Hungarian Grand Prix:
“At this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, we dedicated ourselves to adapting and optimizing the power unit in conjunction with the new chassis features,” said Orihara. He added: “We obtained a lot of useful data over the weekend and I believe we have made steady progress in our preparation for the Dutch Grand Prix after the summer break.”
“The next stage, the Dutch Grand Prix, will represent an important milestone as we introduce a new power unit specification,” said Orihara. “Before this event, our plan is to test the AMR26 with the new power unit for the first time during a filming day on July 29, 2026, before the summer break.”
More detailed information about the activity scheduled for July 29, 2026 has not yet been officially released. According to the regulations, the filming day will have a limit of 200 km in distance covered and the mandatory use of demonstration tires.
After the Hungarian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso expressed that, now having the ability to compete more effectively with other vehicles on the track, he hopes that the engine upgrade can further improve the team’s performance.
