Honda Confirms Early Debut for Upgraded F1 Power Unit

Honda has confirmed that Aston Martin will run its upgraded power unit during a filming day at the Hungaroring on Wednesday, offering the Japanese manufacturer an early chance to evaluate its new-spec engine. The test comes just days after Aston Martin introduced a major B-spec chassis upgrade for the Hungarian Grand Prix, creating an opportunity to assess how the two packages integrate before the summer shutdown.

Why it matters:

After a brutal start to the 2026 season defined by a lack of performance and fragile reliability, Honda urgently needs this upgrade to turn its fortunes around. The filming day provides a rare window to collect real-world data on the new power unit outside of a grand prix weekend, where running is strictly limited. If the early signs are positive, it could signal a genuine step forward for both Honda and Aston Martin as they attempt to climb away from the lower midfield.

The details:

• The filming day will take place at the Hungaroring and is limited to 200 km on Pirelli demonstration tyres, with the car running in a previously used specification.
• Honda chief engineer Shintaro Orihara confirmed the new-spec engine will run in the AMR26 for the first time on Wednesday, ahead of its official race debut at the Dutch Grand Prix next month.
• The power unit upgrade follows Aston Martin's own substantial chassis update, a B-spec AMR26 estimated to be worth roughly two seconds per lap.
• That chassis package showed immediate promise in Hungary, with Fernando Alonso reaching Q2 for the first time all season before finishing P14, while Lance Stroll crossed the line in P13.

What's next:

Wednesday's running will offer a first glimpse of how the revised chassis and new power unit work in tandem, though the restrictive nature of filming-day regulations means teams cannot conduct full performance evaluations. Honda will analyze the systems data gathered in Hungary to refine the upgrade before it hits the track in anger at Zandvoort. The Dutch Grand Prix will ultimately serve as the true litmus test for whether Honda has solved its early-season woes.