Honda prepared for disagreements with Newey at Aston Martin

Newey’s move to the Silverstone-based team next year was announced in September, following months of speculation about where he would go in F1. Although Honda officially withdrew from F1 at the end of the 2021 season, they have been in a partnership with Red Bull since 2019. One of the major challenges in this partnership, as faced by teams other than Ferrari, Mercedes, and Alpine, was the conflict between the demands of chassis designers and the needs of the power unit.

Despite this, Red Bull and Honda have won the Drivers’ Championship since 2021 and the Constructors’ Championship for the past two seasons. Aston Martin will partner with Honda in 2026, when new technical regulations come into play. In an exclusive interview with Autosport, Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe expressed hope that Honda could replicate the success they achieved with Red Bull over the past decade with Newey’s arrival.

Watanabe stated, “We are pleased to see Aston Martin taking steady steps to strengthen their competitiveness.”
“The fact that they have solidified their management structures, including Newey’s involvement, has greatly encouraged us.”
“I have worked with Newey before, and he has an incredible passion for building fast cars.”
“When we build the power unit and they build the chassis, there can be times when our visions don’t align.”
“In such cases, there are conflicts between what the chassis team wants and what the power unit team needs, but together, we managed to create the best car in the world.”
“With Newey moving to Aston Martin, I expect similar challenges to arise, but I hope these challenges will help Aston Martin Honda become the best in the world. We are prepared for some disagreements, and of course, it’s not just about Newey,” he explained.