Honda's New F1 Engine to Make Track Debut for Aston Martin Next Week

Honda’s upgraded Formula 1 engine for Aston Martin will make its track debut next week during a filming day at the Hungaroring, following a chassis upgrade in Hungary that finally allowed the team to rejoin the midfield. Both cars finished ahead of Alpine, Haas and Williams after months stuck at the back.

Why it matters:

Aston Martin’s Honda partnership has been crippled by power unit vibrations and a lack of pace that left it stranded at the rear. With the chassis now responding, a stronger engine is the critical missing piece if the team is to climb the order in the second half of 2026.

The details:

• Honda trackside boss Shintaro Orihara confirmed the Wednesday filming day will evaluate the new power unit, which the team hopes will unlock lap time.
• A major chassis package for the Hungarian Grand Prix lifted Fernando Alonso to a season-best 16th in qualifying and saw both he and Lance Stroll finish 13th and 14th.
• Engine vibrations returned on Friday, but the team insisted these differed from early-season woes. Alonso said they were fully resolved after a fresh engine was fitted Saturday, suggesting the old unit was at end of life.
• Alonso stressed both sides are working as one team to tackle shared weaknesses and build trust between the factories.

What's next:

If the filming day goes smoothly, the new engine is slated to race first at Zandvoort after the summer break. That would give Aston Martin a complete package and a real chance to escape the cellar and mount a genuine midfield challenge.