Honda Boss Makes Bold Prediction About Aston Martin’s ‘Very Special’ 2026 F1 Season

2025 was a fairly forgettable season for Aston Martin, as the team finished seventh out of ten in the Constructors' Championship for the third time in only five years.

Star veteran Fernando Alonso was able to manage 10th in the Drivers' Championship on 56 points, while teammate Lance Stroll could only manage 33 points despite an impressive start to the year.

A double points finish in Abu Dhabi - Alonso sixth, Stroll 10th - capped off not only their last race under current Formula One regulations, but also as a Mercedes-powered team.

From 2026 onwards, it will be Japanese manufacturer Honda, who have only just ended their stint with Red Bull, and will be giving the AMR26 its power. And Honda Racing President Koji Watanabe is confident their first season as a duo will start with a bang.

Fans will feel like Aston Martin have entered a 'new era', says Honda boss

Ever since their re-entry back into F1 in 2021, Aston Martin's engines have been supplied by Mercedes. | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

In an interview with Aston Martin, Koji Watanabe was asked a myriad of questions regarding the technicalities of the partnership, the upcoming regulation changes, and Watanabe's relationship with new team boss Adrian Newey.

When probed on how he expects the Aston Martin-Honda partnership to perform next season, the Honda stalwart - who has been with the company for almost 40 years - responded with assurance that supporters were in for a ride.

"I hope that fans feel they’re really witnessing the beginning of a new era. We're all very excited to be at the start of this, and I think when we first get out on track is the point at which we'll be able to share this joy and excitement with them."
Watanabe on Aston Martin's 2026

When Honda took over as Red Bull's supplier in 2019, after the end of the Austrian team's iconic era with Renault, improvements were not immediate - Red Bull scored 417 points in 2019 compared to 419 in 2018, and finished third in both years.

Max Verstappen has won four championships with Red Bull-Honda from 2021 to 2024, narrowly missing out on the 2025 title. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Only two seasons later, Max Verstappen would win his first drivers' title in a Honda-powered car, while Red Bull as a team finished runners-up, before Verstappen's three further titles, from 2022 to 2024, netted Red Bull and Honda two Constructors' Championships.

Aston Martin might be wise to expect a similar path, but the new regulations for 2026 mean that teams are on a much more even playing field and the order is much more unknown. On looking further into the future, Watanabe said:

"In the longer term, the ultimate goal of this partnership, and our definition of success, is winning the World Championship. It is very important to take a long-term view of this. We have the potential to be successful in F1, not just in 2026, but also 2027, 2028 and beyond... We are on the eve of something very special."

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