Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) announced on Wednesday the establishment of Honda Racing Corporation UK Ltd (HRC UK) in preparation for its Formula 1 engine partnership with Aston Martin.
Aston Martin and Honda struck a deal in May, 2023 for the Japanese marque to supply the Silverstone-based F1 outfit with power units (PU) from 2026, when new PU regulations come into effect.
The deal transforms Aston Martin from a Mercedes customer to a fully-fledged works outfit in a few seasons time.
The formation of HRC UK has been struck primarily to conduct post-race maintenance and pre-race preparation for Honda PUs in Aston Martin’s F1 chargers in 2026 and beyond.
A press release unveiling HRC UK read: “The establishment of HRC UK will further enhance the effectiveness of Honda’s PU operations, in support of the partnership with Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team.”
HRC UK will also serve as the logistics arm for the Japanese marque across Europe.
To support the foundation of HRC UK, a recruitment drive will get underway in Spring 2024 to employ engineers, technicians and additional staff members.
This move is reflective of Honda’s renewed commitment to Formula 1.
After achieving championship success with Red Bull and Max Verstappen in 2021, the Japanese marque took a back seat from F1 operations.
An engine freeze effective in 2022 enabled Red Bull to retain its Honda PUs, but with the ratification of the forthcoming 2026 PU regulations, a change of heart was made by the Japanese company.
That bore fruit in the aforementioned deal with Aston Martin last year and Honda join Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault, Audi and the recently formed Red Bull Powertrains as a 2026 PU supplier.
In 2026, F1 power units will retain much of the architecture seen in current PUs.
The 1.6 litre V6 turbo internal combustion engine (ICE) is retained but will be powered by 100% sustainable fuel.
The MGU-H system will be scrapped and the overall electrification of the PU will be increased, to the tune of a 50/50 ICE/electric split.
