Honda has confirmed it will run its upgraded Formula 1 power unit for the first time during a filming day in Hungary on Wednesday, ahead of its race debut at the Dutch Grand Prix following the summer break.
The Japanese manufacturer's trackside general manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara revealed the timeline after Sunday's Hungarian Grand Prix, where Aston Martin showed improved form with its much-anticipated B-spec car at the Hungaroring.
"In Hungary, we have been supporting the team with the power unit integration. We've also been able to collect vital data, which will help us come the next race," Orihara said.
"We will now take the important step of introducing our new-spec power unit in the Netherlands. Before then, during Wednesday's filming day, we will run the new engine in the AMR26 for the first time, before the summer shutdown commences."
The filming day, which allows Aston Martin a maximum of 200km of running, serves as a critical shakedown for the revised power unit. Orihara described it as a "good opportunity to check how our new engine runs on the chassis."
The upgrade comes at a pivotal moment for the Silverstone-based squad. Aston Martin endured a challenging start to the 2026 season but showed signs of recovery in Budapest, where Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finished 13th and 14th respectively — enough to beat an Alpine, both Haas cars and both Williams.
When asked whether Honda feels added pressure to deliver its side of the bargain after Aston Martin's B-spec chassis upgrade yielded tangible gains, Orihara was candid.
"To be fair, yes," he said. "Now we are back to racing the field. Then all improvement is very important to catch up to others. To introduce the new power unit in Zandvoort is quite important now the chassis is working well. So our power unit should bring some laptime gain."
Aston Martin currently sits 10th in the constructors' championship heading into the summer break, just one point ahead of F1 newcomers Cadillac thanks to Alonso's solitary point from Monaco.
The team will hope that the combination of its upgraded chassis and Honda's revised power unit can propel it up the order in the second half of the season, beginning at Zandvoort on 21-23 August.
Sources
- https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1101941/1/honda-reveals-when-new-f1-engine-will-run-race-debut
