Honda address F1 commitment after disastrous Aston Martin start

Honda Racing Corporation President Koji Watanabe has insisted that the Japanese manufacturer remains committed to Formula 1 despite the disastrous start it has endured with Aston Martin.

Following significant success with Red Bull, expectations were high for Honda's switch to partnering Aston Martin. However, it has been one problem after another.

Honda's power unit for the new regulations has proven unreliable and significantly down on performance, with its internal combustion engine expected to be ranked as the worst by the FIA.

While this will give the Japanese marque the opportunity to introduce engine upgrades, it also has considerable reliability issues to solve.

From the outset, Honda has been plagued by problems, particularly with its battery. Due to repeated failures, it experienced an early shortage, impacting the mileage completed by Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

Battery vibrations also put both drivers at risk of nerve damage in their hands, although that issue now appears to have been brought under control.

Significant improvement is still needed from Honda, which is competing fully in F1 again for the first time since the end of the 2021 campaign. Despite its difficult start, the manufacturer remains firmly committed to staying in the sport and resolving the issues.

"There is no change in our evaluation or our commitment to HRC or motorsport activities at this stage," Watanabe told F1. "Taking the challenge of Formula 1 remains part of Honda's DNA – and it has not changed. We have a long-term commitment.

"The Honda management take the current situation very seriously and are not satisfied with the current results. 

"There is a shared understanding that improvement is necessary and at the same time, there is also a clear understanding that the project must be evaluated over the mid-to-long term period, not this year.

"The management continue to provide a strong support and expectation with a focus on the process of solving the challenge we face."