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Aston Martin will part ways with Mercedes power at the end of this season. From 2026, the team will enter a new era with Honda as its engine partner, a move that Chief Technical Officer Enrico Cardile believes represents a major step forward.
Honda is currently partnered with Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls but will leave the Red Bull family when Ford joins the project. From that point, Honda will focus entirely on its new collaboration with Aston Martin.
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“They’re Building Around Our Needs”
“On one hand, Honda is always trying to meet our specific requests during development,” Cardile explained on the Beyond the Grid podcast. “That means they don’t have to compromise to satisfy different teams. On the other hand, they can push the boundaries of
development even further, because they only have to supply one team. The production numbers are lower, which allows them to set the bar higher.”
Cardile, who joined Aston Martin this year from Ferrari, said he has been impressed by Honda’s technical approach and commitment. “Personally, my main focus since joining has been on the chassis, so I only see Honda’s work from a distance. But I’m genuinely surprised by their dedication and aggressive mindset. They’re open to close collaboration and go above and beyond to meet our needs on the chassis side,” he added.
New Rules Bring New Opportunities
Aston Martin has yet to establish itself as a consistent frontrunner, but Cardile believes the upcoming regulation changes could shake up the order. “It feels similar to 2021, when the last big regulation change was coming,” he said. “At first, the rules seem too restrictive, the possibilities extremely limited. But once you start working on them, you realise that while they are tight, they still allow room for creativity and clever solutions.”
The partnership with Honda gives Aston Martin a clean slate for 2026 — a chance to compete at the front with a fully integrated chassis and power unit package. And according to Cardile, both sides are determined to make that happen.
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