Honda’s late decision to recommit to Formula 1 and the time required to rebuild its development organization cost the company almost two years on its current power-unit program, according to Honda Racing president Koji Watanabe.
Honda returned as Aston Martin’s works engine partner for the new regulations, but the combination has endured a difficult first season. Watanabe acknowledged in an interview with Motorsport.com Japan that FIA performance data indicated Honda’s power unit was behind its rivals.
He said Honda never stopped basic Formula 1 research after its previous works involvement ended, but rebuilding a complete program after announcing its return in 2023 took longer than expected.
The decision came about a year later than those of rival manufacturers, Watanabe said, and assembling the necessary staff consumed further time. Many experienced Formula 1 engineers had moved into other senior projects and could not simply be recalled overnight.
Honda consequently concentrated its limited early resources on the battery and electric motor, where Watanabe said it met its targets. Internal-combustion development started later and the company was unable to recover all of the lost ground before budget and operating-time limits intervened.
The Spec 2 unit achieved its intended power increase, but changes to combustion brought back drivability problems similar to those experienced early with Spec 1. Watanabe said that weakness is improving, although outright power remains insufficient.
Honda also chose to design a substantially new engine rather than evolve its 2025 unit. That raised the ceiling of the project but added another layer of difficulty to an already compressed schedule.
Watanabe said Honda and Aston Martin remain aligned and are working more closely to improve the complete car. The immediate test is whether that integration, together with Honda’s permitted development opportunities, can turn explanation into measurable progress next season.