The inside story of Honda's painful start with Aston Martin

Honda's motorsport boss Koji Watanabe has openly admitted to The Race that the gap between expectations and actual performance with new Formula 1 partner Aston Martin in 2026 was far larger than anticipated. The partnership has been plagued by excessive vibrations and a lack of performance, with Watanabe acknowledging the issues stem from a combination of new regulations, new relationships, and new car dynamics colliding with legacy decisions. The situation marks a stark contrast to Honda's previous era powering Red Bull to world championship titles.