Honda to take unexpected turn in exclusive deal with Aston Martin: 'If it's possible'
F1 News
Aston Martin are set to become a works team as of 2026 having secured a deal with Honda which makes the Japanese manufacturer the British team's exclusive power unit supplier. However, the Honda Racing Corporation's leader, Koji Watannabe, has opened the door to 'expanding' its F1 power unit customer pool in the future.
Aston Martin is currently fast at work trying to make their way to the top of Formula One. With their aim fixed on 2026, year when the series will undergo profound changes since the engine and aerodynamic regulations will change drastically, the British racing green team hopes to be able to make the most of their recent signings, Adrian Newey, and Andy Cowell, yes, but also of their exclusive power unit supplier, Honda.
Honda opens door to future F1 customers
"We are a racing company. If the opportunity arises to supply several teams with powertrains, we would be happy to pursue it," said Watanabe as quoted by Motorsport-Total, not "ruling anything out."
Despite that, he does clarify that the Japanese manufacturer are not actively pursuing other potential customers. "At this point in time, we have no plans to supply our engines to multiple teams, and we are not at that point yet," Watanabe added, before revealing Honda's F1 Project leader's goal.
"At the moment I have only one request to Kakuda: make sure we can win with Aston Martin." But, should the wins and titles come, Honda will certainly look to 'expand' in a direction away being an exclusive provider to Aston Martin. "We are currently supplying several teams with drives, and if the situation stabilises and it becomes possible, we should consider expanding in this direction," concluded Watanabe.
Want more Formula 1? Then follow GPblog on our various social media channels too!