Honda Racing Corporation, which has a technical partnership with Red Bull, has registered with the FIA to enter the 2026 Formula 1 season as a power unit supplier.
Max Verstappen won the drivers championship in a Honda-powered Red Bull last year. Honda officially withdrew from F1 at the end of 2021 and HRC took over the preparation of their engines for the team.
Red Bull enjoyed an even more successful season in 2022, claiming the constructors’ title for the first time in nine years while Verstappen was crowned champion again. He clinched the title in the Japanese Grand Prix at Honda’s Suzuka circuit, after the manufacturer increased its branding on the teams’ cars.
Honda, which first entered F1 in 1965 and has come and gone many times since then, announced its latest departure from the sport in October 2020. The manufacturer said at the time it intended to prioritise the development of future power unit and energy technologies in order to reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
Since then F1 has confirmed its power unit regulations for the 2026 season. Under the forthcoming formula the total power generated by the power unit’s energy recovery system will increase to around 350kW.
A spokesperson for Honda told RaceFans Formula 1’s decision to increase the electrification of its power units brought it in line with Honda’s strategy to achieve carbon neutrality, prompting their application.
HRC also provides engines to Red Bull’s junior team AlphaTauri.
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
