Aston Martin shakes down Honda's upgraded F1 power unit at Hungaroring

While Alpine and Audi focused on Pirelli's 2027 tyre programme at the Hungaroring, Aston Martin devoted its second filming day to a critical Honda power unit test. The session served as a shakedown for the upgraded RA626H engine, with reserve driver Jak Crawford completing the mileage as engineers evaluated the package against the B-spec AMR26 that broke into Q2 last weekend.

Why it matters:

Aston Martin has endured a difficult 2026 campaign, but Adrian Newey's B-spec car and Honda's new engine offer a path back to competitiveness. The team escaped Q1 for the first time this season in Hungary, and a power boost estimated at 30bhp could give Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll the tools to fight for points. For Honda, resolving the vibrations that plagued the opening races is crucial to rebuilding confidence in its Formula 1 return.

The details:

• The filming day was primarily an engineering exercise for Honda, which is why third driver Jak Crawford handled the running instead of the regular race drivers.
• Honda engineers worked alongside Aston Martin to compare the new power unit's data against the grand prix weekend figures, despite being restricted to demo tyres.
• Early indications suggest the test went well, with the troublesome vibrations that impacted the start of the year now eliminated.
• The RA626H upgrade is being introduced via the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities catch-up system, and is believed to yield around 30bhp.
• While still unlikely to challenge Mercedes or Red Bull-Ford outright, the combined gains from the chassis and engine could lift Aston Martin into genuine midfield contention.

What's next:

Honda plans to introduce the upgraded power unit at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort on August 23, the first race after the summer break. Aston Martin will be hoping the package transforms its season from simply escaping Q1 into consistently fighting for top-ten finishes.