Honda has submitted its entry into Formula 1 for 2026

Honda officially withdrew from Formula 1 at the end of 2021, exactly one year ago, in order to focus all its investments and resources on the development of electrification technologies for production cars. However, it has continued – and will continue until the end of 2025 – to officially but discreetly manufacture the engines that Red Bull Racing use to compete in the sport.

Recently, following the collapse of RBR’s talks with Porsche over a possible partnership in 2026, the Milton Keynes team’s relationship with the Japanese company has been rekindled and Honda stickers are back on cars – from the Japanese GP onwards Company emerged this year’s F1 champions.

There is no guarantee that this partnership will continue, however, as RBR director Christian Horner recently said that the Austrian company will start building its own F1 engines in the company’s newly built Red Bull Powertrains factory – also in Milton Keynes – from 2026 will , next to the chassis factory.

However, in the fall, Red Bull consultant Helmut Marko hinted that RBR could work with Honda on engine manufacturing: That means Red Bull Powertrains builds the V6 turbocharged thermal engines in Milton Keynes and Honda in Japan to develop the perimeter hybrid system the – increased, from 2026- electrification of cars.

There is another factor: one of the reasons why RBR/Honda engines are still made in Japan or that Red Bull Powertrains wants to be recognized as the new engine manufacturer in the sport in 2026 to enjoy the appropriate privileges that each of they are intended for them – as with Audi. If there is a collaboration with Honda, RBP must not have this designation.

Whether Honda teams up with Red Bull Racing or another team in 2026, the Japanese company has officially submitted its bid to the FIA ​​to be among the sport’s engine manufacturers in 2026. This bid is non-binding but certainly shows the interest of the Japanese in the possibility of a resounding return to the sport.

“As HRC, We registered with engine manufacturers in 2026.” said Koji Watanabe, President of Honda Racing. “His regulations F1 from 2026 they will move towards CO2 neutrality. Together with the fact that electrification is being pushed, these coincide with what the Honda Motor Co. The goals match. As a racing company, we are committed as a manufacturer to advance our racing research.”

The deadline for interested manufacturers to register in F1 for 2026 was November 15, 2022. If Honda did not register by then, securing its place in F1 in 2026 for a second year would be more difficult, and it would be nor would it be possible to take part in all the discussions that are taking place between the FIA, F1 and manufacturers about the powerplants of the sport in 2026.

Regarding Honda’s official return to F1, Watanabe concluded: “There are many parameters to consider. But then we decided to complete their program F1 In the interests of production cars and carbon neutrality, we need to focus on them first. Then, when we have determined that we can achieve them, we can also think about it F1″.