Looking ahead to the new engine regulations in 2026, Aston Martin is preparing for a significant move: it will officially become a factory team with engine supplier Honda. Team boss Andy Cowell, who previously headed engine development at Mercedes, is now speaking out in detail about the collaboration with the Japanese engine supplier – and he is full of praise.
“The collaboration with Honda is going excellently,” Cowell shares during the FIA press conference in Singapore. “Like Aston Martin, they are an organization driven by engineering. Their innovative nature, their passion, commitment, and courage are tremendous. On Monday, I’m flying to Sakura to spend a few days with Honda. It’s an exciting time for the team.”
This excitement is not only due to the transition to a full-fledged factory collaboration, but also the new responsibilities that come with it. “We’re moving from a customer team – where you have little say in what happens at the back of the car – to a situation where we jointly determine what the front of the engine should look like, how we design the cooling system, and how we integrate the transmission,” Cowell explains. According to him, the presence of Adrian Newey, who has been involved with Aston Martin since March, is of great value. “He has experience with Honda and instinctively understands what is feasible and what is not. That gives us an advantage.”
Less Data, More Control
However, the factory model also carries risks. As the only team using the Honda engine, Aston Martin lacks the luxury of additional test data generated by customer teams. Cowell acknowledges the disadvantage, but also points out the benefits. “It’s always a trade-off,” he says. “With more teams, you have more test miles, but with fewer teams, you can delay the step from development to production. This gives you more time in the development phase.”
This extra development time should ultimately translate into a flawless preparation for the testing season. “I think it ultimately comes down to attention to detail,” says Cowell. “During the test days in Barcelona, we all drive about 800 kilometers per day, just like this year in Bahrain. Everything has to come together then – and it must work. That’s where our focus lies.”
