Photo: Formula 1
Fans across the globe are eagerly waiting for the debut of the 2023 Formula 1 season, which is scheduled for March 5. In the meanwhile, several teams are making sure they will have a future in the sport by closing supplying deals with manufacturers. For instance, Honda registered as one of six power unit suppliers from 2026 to 2030.
If you’re a Formula 1 enthusiast, you might know that the motorsport’s new engine era starts in 2026. As part of the series’ push to become carbon neutral by 2030, there will be greater emphasis on electric power and sustainable fuels.
After powering Red Bull’s double world champion Max Verstappen to his first title in 2021, Honda officially withdrew from the competition. Still, the company will continue to build engines in Japan for Red Bull and Alpha Tauri, as per their agreement, which will end in 2025.
Red Bull has set up its own company in Milton Keynes to produce powertrains, and earlier this month, it announced a new collaboration with Ford. The U.S. automaker will replace Honda in 2026 and supply engines for the championship-winning team.
The question is: Who will Honda build engines for starting in 2026? Or better yet, will Honda continue its journey in Formula 1?
Koji Watanabe, Honda Racing Corporation’s president, told reporters in a Zoom briefing today that several Formula One teams have contacted the company. But Honda is unsure about what the future will hold. For one, Watanabe said there aren’t any concrete decisions on whether Honda will go back to joining Formula One.
At the same time, the brand believes that being part of the motorsport series will help advance technological development. Furthermore, Formula One’s future is in line with Honda’s own goals of increased electrification and carbon neutrality - that’s the main reason why Honda decided to register as a power unit manufacturer.
2026 will mark a significant change in how F1 cars will work - the next-gen engines will be engineered with sustainability in mind. Long story short, the machines will keep the high-revving 1.6-liter V6s, but they will feature increased electric power and will solely run on sustainable fuels. The current MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit Heat) will be removed, and the amount of electric energy produced by hybrid components will be tripled. If you want to find out more about these changes, check out this in-depth analysis.
This year, according to Reuters, Red Bull’s power unit will feature the Japanese carmaker’s name, changing from RBPT to Honda RPBT. Tetsushi Kakuda, Honda’s F1 project leader and executive chief engineer, declared that Honda had worked to address reliability issues for 2023.
Moreover, Honda has focused on optimizing energy management and control for the power units by working with suppliers to enhance the precision of parts and power unit assembly.
After powering Red Bull’s double world champion Max Verstappen to his first title in 2021, Honda officially withdrew from the competition. Still, the company will continue to build engines in Japan for Red Bull and Alpha Tauri, as per their agreement, which will end in 2025.
Red Bull has set up its own company in Milton Keynes to produce powertrains, and earlier this month, it announced a new collaboration with Ford. The U.S. automaker will replace Honda in 2026 and supply engines for the championship-winning team.
The question is: Who will Honda build engines for starting in 2026? Or better yet, will Honda continue its journey in Formula 1?
Koji Watanabe, Honda Racing Corporation’s president, told reporters in a Zoom briefing today that several Formula One teams have contacted the company. But Honda is unsure about what the future will hold. For one, Watanabe said there aren’t any concrete decisions on whether Honda will go back to joining Formula One.
At the same time, the brand believes that being part of the motorsport series will help advance technological development. Furthermore, Formula One’s future is in line with Honda’s own goals of increased electrification and carbon neutrality - that’s the main reason why Honda decided to register as a power unit manufacturer.
2026 will mark a significant change in how F1 cars will work - the next-gen engines will be engineered with sustainability in mind. Long story short, the machines will keep the high-revving 1.6-liter V6s, but they will feature increased electric power and will solely run on sustainable fuels. The current MGU-H (Motor Generator Unit Heat) will be removed, and the amount of electric energy produced by hybrid components will be tripled. If you want to find out more about these changes, check out this in-depth analysis.
This year, according to Reuters, Red Bull’s power unit will feature the Japanese carmaker’s name, changing from RBPT to Honda RPBT. Tetsushi Kakuda, Honda’s F1 project leader and executive chief engineer, declared that Honda had worked to address reliability issues for 2023.
Moreover, Honda has focused on optimizing energy management and control for the power units by working with suppliers to enhance the precision of parts and power unit assembly.
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