Honda officially parted ways with Red Bull after the recent Abu Dhabi GP, and the engine maker felt it keenly. Honda chairman Koji Watanabe reveals that, in particular, saying goodbye to driver Max Verstappen hit the Japanese hard. Watanabe even likens the partnership with the Dutchman to the Ayrton Senna era and is certain: ‘Max will always be in our hearts.’
Honda had supplied power units to Red Bull since 2019, but that partnership came to an official end after the recent Abu Dhabi GP. The Japanese power-unit supplier is switching to Aston Martin, while Red Bull will line up as a works team for the first time in 2026. Although Honda is looking forward to the new challenge that the 2026 power-unit regulations will bring in particular, the farewell to Red Bull hit hard.
With Honda’s exit as Red Bull’s power‑unit supplier, the partnership between Max Verstappen and the Japanese outfit has come to an end. Honda chief Koji Watanabe looks back more than satisfied on the championship‑winning years with Honda and Verstappen. “We always had the same goal: to reach the top,” Watanabe told FormulaPassion. “Abu Dhabi (last December, ed.) was therefore a very emotional weekend after seven years working together. On one hand we look forward to our new ventures, but on the other it is, of course, a little sad.”
Senna
The farewell to Verstappen has hit the Japanese particularly hard, Watanabe admits. “I am incredibly grateful to have worked with such an exceptional driver (as Max, ed.), someone who treated our team with honesty and respect,” the Honda boss lauds the Dutch driver. “That is something we value greatly in him. And it is also why our collaboration worked so well.” The partnership delivered more than results on track. “Max is unbelievably popular in Japan. People now associate him with Honda, just like in Senna’s era. He has meant a great deal to our company. His attitude and his faith in our engineers have always been motivating. Max will always have a place in our hearts,” Watanabe concludes.
