Honda is in the process of developing its power unit for the 2026 Formula 1 season, and according to HRC president Koji Watanabe, “everything is progressing according to plan.”
In an interview with Motorsport Netherlands, Watanabe revealed that Honda’s priority for this new project is on the electrical part of the engine, where they hope to stand out even more under the new regulations.
Watanabe also acknowledged that Honda’s departure from Formula 1, announced in October 2020 but ultimately not finalized, implied some changes to the team. “As a result, we’ve had to fill some of those positions again, so we’re not the same group of people,” he explained. Despite these changes, he assured that work is progressing smoothly.
Regarding the development approach, Watanabe stated: “We are mainly focusing on the electrical part of the engine, our maximum concentration is on those components and the battery.” He added that the work is meeting the established objectives and that everything is going according to plan.
On the other hand, Watanabe commented on the surprise caused by the radical change in the design of the Red Bull car for the current season. Despite joint success in the previous season, where they won 21 of 22 races, the RB20 introduced an innovative concept that surprised the Honda team. “They have made many requests to adapt the engine to their new car and the first time we saw the RB20 in real life, we were surprised,” said Watanabe.
Regarding engine performance, Watanabe highlighted that although they were unable to increase power due to development restrictions, they managed to improve reliability. These statements show Honda’s commitment to its partnership with Red Bull and its determination to remain competitive in Formula 1.
