Honda to debut first 2026 engine upgrade at Zandvoort as Aston Martin trims deficit

Honda will introduce its first power unit upgrade of the 2026 Formula 1 season at Zandvoort, targeting a much-needed boost in combustion engine performance for Aston Martin. The move follows Adrian Newey's initial chassis package, which has already slashed the team's race-pace deficit from over five seconds per lap at Silverstone and Spa to roughly two seconds in Hungary.

Why it matters:

Aston Martin has spent the opening half of the season anchored to the back of the grid by a double deficit on chassis and power unit. While Newey's upgrades have dragged the AMR26 back toward the midfield, Honda's engine remains a glaring weakness. Closing the power gap is essential if the team is to reach a competitive window where minor updates translate into on-track gains.

The details:

• Honda's first upgrade targets the internal combustion engine, which the manufacturer admits is its biggest weakness relative to rivals.
• General trackside manager Shintaro Orihara stated the current engine is "definitely poor compared to other manufacturers," stressing that energy management improvements are irrelevant until combustion performance is fixed.
• The goal for Zandvoort is to get Aston Martin back into the "racing field," where margins of 10 to 20 milliseconds decide positions rather than being buried by multi-second deficits.
• Optimistic estimates suggest a gain of up to 30bhp, though Honda concedes further upgrades will be needed to erase the full gap.

What's next:

The engine overhaul brings fresh drivability challenges, as altered combustion characteristics will change behavior through corners. Both Honda and Aston Martin face a recalibration period, but Orihara insists they are not back to square one. Lessons learned during the first half can be applied to the new specification, and a recent filming day at the Hungaroring has already provided data to smooth the transition.