Aston Martin will debut Honda’s evolution spec Formula 1 power unit during a promotional filming day at the Hungaroring, accelerating plans originally slated for the Dutch Grand Prix. The move follows a major AMR26 chassis upgrade that propelled Fernando Alonso into Q2 and launched the team into the midfield battle in Budapest.
Honda Brings Forward New Power Unit Spec for Hungaroring Debut
Honda has scheduled the first on-track running for its upgraded Formula 1 power unit during a promotional filming day with Aston Martin at the Hungaroring. The manufacturer originally intended to deploy the updated power unit at the Dutch Grand Prix as its first permitted in-season update under the ADUO regulations, following the sport’s summer break. Instead, the component will make its track debut in the AMR26 prior to the shutdown.
Shintaro Orihara, managing director at Honda, detailed the timeline shift following recent integration work in Hungary.
Shintaro Orihara, managing director at Honda, noted that in Hungary they supported the team with the power unit integration.
Shintaro Orihara, managing director at Honda, stated that they are now going to take an important step by introducing their new specification power unit in the Netherlands, and explained that prior to that, during Wednesday’s promotional filming day, they will run the new engine in the AMR26 for the first time before the start of the summer break.
Chassis Upgrades Spark Midfield Breakthrough at the Hungarian Grand Prix
The engine advancement arrives directly on the heels of a transformative weekend in Budapest, where Aston Martin introduced a heavily revised B-spec version of the AMR26. The technical overhaul immediately paid dividends on Saturday, when Fernando Alonso advanced past the Q1 elimination barrier for the first time in 2026 and qualified for Q2. On Sunday, Lance Stroll crossed the finish line in 13th position ahead of his teammate, lifting the team above Cadillac, Williams, and Haas in the classification order.
Both drivers noted a stark contrast compared to the opening rounds of the championship, where the team struggled near the back of the grid.
Stroll added that the team is only beginning to understand the potential of the new aerodynamic and mechanical package. The Canadian driver emphasized that the more laps they complete with this package, the more performance they will unlock while calling it the most encouraging step forward the team has experienced in a long time.
Correlation and Development Drive Factory Confidence
Behind the visible lap-time gains lies a critical factor for the outfit: virtual data correlation. Alonso pointed out that simulation tools are finally matching real-world feedback from the circuit.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin driver, pointed out that the correlation with the virtual data is good and the performance gains are there as they had hoped, adding that they are obviously only at the beginning with this new car, which is entirely new and a new concept, so there may still be progress to be made regarding setups, optimization, and other aspects of that kind.
This close alignment between simulator projections and track behavior has fostered a cooperative troubleshooting loop between the chassis department and the power unit manufacturer. Alonso described how the two entities are pooling resources to address remaining vulnerabilities.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin driver, explained that they are a single team working together, that they know their weakness and are trying to help each other, noting that Honda tried to help solve some of the car’s weaknesses at the beginning of the year while now, with the chassis, they are trying to help Honda as much as they can.
Targeting Zandvoort for the Next Performance Step
With the promotional running at the Hungaroring serving as an initial shakedown, the official racing validation of Honda’s new power unit specification will occur at the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort from August 21 to 23. Drivers acknowledge that straight-line speed remains an area requiring attention as they seek to unlock further competitiveness in the second half of the season.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin driver, mentioned that they look forward to being in Zandvoort and trying to be a bit more competitive in terms of straight-line speed, because in the races where they are fighting right now, they need that extra speed in the straightaways, expressing hope that roughly for the second part, it will be a fresh start in the championship for them.
The team now hopes that these technical improvements will provide the necessary performance boost as they prepare for the upcoming challenges of the Dutch Grand Prix.
