Honda and the Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team held discussions during the MSC Cruises Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix weekend that allowed both parties to speak openly and “strengthen trust” in the fledgling partnership.
Honda Racing Corporation President Koji Watanabe revealed a meeting between had taken place, with Aston Martin having scored just one point from the opening seven rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Fernando Alonso’s 10th-place finish in Monaco gave the team its sole point of the campaign so far.
Before that, Aston Martin struggled to complete races cleanly in the early rounds, often fighting with the debuting Cadillac F1 Team to avoid being at the back of the pack.
The result sits in stark contrast to the ambitions the team carried into the new regulation cycle, backed by significant investment, with Adrian Newey as lead designer and Honda supplying the power unit.
“At the recent Spanish Grand Prix, we had a team gathering, it gave us the great opportunity to communicate openly and strengthen our trust,” Watanabe said in a video posted on social media.
“I also enjoyed speaking directly with many members of the team. As one team, we will continue to work hard together, building on thisstrong foundation.
“The start of the 2026 season has been very challenging for us. The current position is not where we want to be. However, in difficult times, we rely on the challenging spirit that is part of Honda and H3S’s DNA.”
At the recent Spanish Grand Prix, we had a team gathering, it gave us the great opportunity to communicate openly and strengthen our trust.
Koji Watanabe
He pointed directly to 2015 as evidence the partnership can recover from a difficult starting position, drawing an explicit parallel with Honda’s troubled return to F1 in 2015 alongside McLaren – widely regarded as one of the most difficult periods in the manufacturer’s recent motorsport history.
“In 2015, we also faced a tough start, but we became stronger by never giving up,” Watanabe said.
“Everyone in the team continued to work hard to improve our 2026 power unit. We understand that the results so far have been frustrating, and we share that feeling.
“However, we believe that our hard work will pay off, and we will keep pushing forward.”
