Honda Racing Corporation's Koji Watanabe has given a statement on working with Aston Martin, following the conclusion to the 2025 season, as Honda and Aston Martin look ahead to the new regulations and new era of Formula One.

Honda are currently working closely with Aston Martin, after the Japanese manufacturer decided to part ways with Red Bull Racing at the end of this year. Aston Martin will become the only team to be powered by a Honda engine, and between Adrian Newey designing the AMR26 and Honda being recent champions in F1 with Red Bull and Max Verstappen, the project has all the ingredients of something truly special.

Watanabe stated: "Adrian is one of the people I communicate with frequently, and it's often a quite intense exchange of opinions, suggestions, and feedback – but always with the focus on winning." Interestingly, Watanabe makes this statement shortly after both Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso revealed that Newey is primarily focused on performance.

Newey will also become the Team Principal of Aston Martin in 2026, a role which the British F1 design legend has never held before.

Watanabe continued: "Whenever we're having a technical discussion about components or development, it's always with the long-term focus on how we get the win. And that can be about anything: it might be a very detailed design issue, but equally it might be about competitor analysis, or how to manage people to get the best out of them, or even finance and using the limitations of the cost cap most effectively."

Read also

Retiring or working elsewhere: What will Marko do after Red Bull?

'Legend' Alonso has still got it after Abu Dhabi GP 'tricks'

Verstappen's special abilities that blew Red Bull team boss Mekies away

Fernando Alonso driving - Photo: Race Pictures

Newey previously worked with Honda during his time at Red Bull, with the Japanese manufacturer having powered both Red Bull teams since 2019. During this time, the partnership thrived, with Verstappen winning championships from 2021-2024, as well as Red Bull becoming Constructors' Champions in 2022 and 2023.

With Newey being an experienced champion-designer in F1, and Honda powering multiple different teams on the grid to championship glory, there is much anticipation for what the pair will be able to achieve at Aston Martin.

Speaking about the experience of Honda and Newey, and what they can bring to Aston Martin, Watanabe said: "It comes back to the idea of being one team. It's vital to trust and respect your partners and continue to improve together."

Watanabe continued: "Honda has supplied engines and power units to various teams over the decades. There have been days and years with very good results, but also days and years with poor results. Whatever happens on track, it's important that we remain one entity."

However, Honda themselves have been forced to endure difficult moments throughout their time in F1. Their partnership with McLaren from 2015-2017 especially, comes to mind. Watanabe added: "F1 can be... cruel. It's a cruel business and sometimes, if results are not what you hope for, it's difficult to improve – but it is absolutely vital to maintain the relationship of trust and respect with your partners."

GPblog's latest F1 Paddock Update

Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.