Honda fuels the rumors of wanting to return to Formula 1: the Japanese manufacturer, in fact, has admitted that it has registered with the FIA as a manufacturer interested in 2026 engines. Although the withdrawal from the GPs was only made official at the end of 2020 to divert the budget intended for F1 to ecological sustainability, there is already an important rethinking of the Japanese.
Meanwhile, they have kept a foot in the GPs by supplying (for a fee) the supply of power units which were approved at the beginning of 2022 and which will be frozen until the end of the 2025 world championship at Red Bull and the Milton Keynes team has peremptorily conquered the title world championship with Max Verstappen.
Honda has turned the green light on its return to F1 from 2026
Photo by: Motorsport.com / Japan
The RB18’s flurry of victories prompted Honda to reappear with the official logo from the Japanese GP instead of the HRC one that was chosen at the beginning of the season to carry on a collaboration that will be active for another three years, after which it should be Red Bull Powertrains to manage their own engine.
Honda actually got back into the picture after talks with Porsche failed: the German company should have tied up with Red Bull with an equal deal that was repudiated by Milton Keynes. Having learned of the change in Milton Keynes’ strategy, contacts have been resumed by Honda, attracted by zero-emission synthetic fuels and by the increase in the electric part in the 2026 power unit
The concept has been carried forward, with Honda motorsport chief Yasuhary Watanabe admitting on Monday that the Japanese manufacturer has adhered to the 2026 regulations as an engine builder. The FIA had set a date for joining which was mid-November, but then with Ferrari’s refusal to sign the regulation, the time constraint was skipped, leaving the door open to Honda and some say also to Ford.
Masashi Yamamoto celebrates the 2022 F1 world championship with Horner and Marko
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
The president of Honda Racing, Yasuharu Watanabe, has formalized the adhesion to the 2026 engine rules, without confirming the entry of the manufacturer starting from the 2026 championship…
“As HRC we have been registered as PU Manufacturers since 2026 – said Watanabe – the 2026 F1 regulations go in the direction of zero carbon. And the fact that greater electrification in engines is promoted will coincide with our objectives with those of the FIA: being a brand with a marked sportiness we decided to register as Manufacturers to resume research through racing”.
It will be interesting to understand if Honda’s intention is to return to F1 alone or by continuing cooperation with Red Bull: the question remains unanswered for the moment, but the step taken by the Japanese is very important and will have important repercussions on the chessboard of GP…
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