Newey Compares Aston Martin's Honda Struggle to Red Bull's 2019 Start

Adrian Newey has provided a candid assessment of Aston Martin's current struggle with Honda power. While the partnership aims for championship contention, Newey admits that the Japanese manufacturer is currently trailing the form they possessed when Red Bull first partnered with them in 2019.

Why it matters:

Since transitioning from Mercedes to Honda for the 2026 engine era, Aston Martin has faced a challenging start. For a team with Newey’s leadership and high ambitions, the power unit's deficit is the primary bottleneck preventing the chassis from showcasing its full potential on track.

The details:

• Performance Gap: Newey noted that Honda is "a little bit behind" their 2019 state, but clarified that the 2019 Honda unit benefited from four years of prior F1 experience.
• Regulation Hurdles: This is Honda's first year navigating the complex 2026 PU regulations, making a steep learning curve an expected part of the process.
• Data-Driven Insights: Rather than quantifying the gap himself, Newey suggested that public GPS data provides the clearest picture of the relative deficit between the chassis and the engine.
• Corporate Confidence: Despite the slow start, Newey maintains full confidence in Honda's ability to accelerate development and solve the specific problems of the current regulations.

What's next:

The focus now shifts toward the 2027 campaign. Newey hints that several promising projects are currently in early development, which could bridge the current performance gap. While it is too early for specific predictions, the team's ability to secure PUAC (Power Unit Approval) updates will be critical for their competitiveness as they move into the next season.