Honda pauses major engine upgrades for Aston Martin

Honda has confirmed that it will not implement major engine upgrades for Aston Martin for the remainder of the current Formula 1 season. Despite performance deficits on straightaways noted during the Italian Grand Prix, Honda's racing operation head, Shintaro Orihara, stated that the development roadmap is now focused on achieving a significant leap for the 2027 season.

While major power increases are on hold, recent updates to the Spec 2 power unit, which debuted in Zandvoort, have yielded improvements in drivability and power delivery predictability. Orihara noted that adjustments made at the Sakura base helped address issues with power delivery consistency, receiving positive feedback from drivers. Aston Martin's Mike Krack corroborated this, noting that a more consistent car allows drivers to push closer to the performance limit.