Blog
Newey Admits Honda ‘Disappointment’ but Eyes 2027 Gains
123Helmets Editorial Team
Adrian Newey’s Honda disappointment comment was the headline from Friday’s FIA press conference at Austin, where the Aston Martin team principal chose his words carefully while admitting the engine maker’s 2026 progress has fallen short of its own hopes.
Key Takeaways
Newey said Honda have probably been ‘a little bit disappointed’ with the progress they made this year.
Honda’s ADUO updates, covering both the engine and turbo steps, have not helped Aston Martin fight regularly for points.
Newey declined to split the deficit between chassis and engine, pointing to GPS data instead.
The focus for both Aston Martin and Honda has been on bigger progress in 2027.
What Newey said about Honda’s 2026 progress
Newey said Honda have probably been a little disappointed with how much progress they have made this year. He spoke in Friday’s FIA press conference at Austin, and The Race reported he paused and gave a wry smile before answering a question on whether things had moved forward as much as Honda anticipated.
The remark was measured but telling. Newey’s answer suggested that the improvement made since the season opener in Melbourne, where the package was in a bad place, was smaller than either he or Honda wanted.
A cautious tone after the early-season bombshells
Newey was noticeably more on message at Austin than he had been at the start of the season. According to the source, he had dropped some Honda bombshells in front of the media at the start of the Formula 1 season, but this time he picked his words with clear caution.
He could easily have pointed the finger at Honda over Aston Martin’s continued difficulties, yet he was eager not to rock the boat. Even so, his answers gave away both the disappointment of 2026 and the hope attached to next year.
Where does the weakness lie: chassis or engine?
Newey would not say whether the chassis or the engine is the bigger weakness in the Aston Martin-Honda package. He described the relative deficit between the two as probably not for him to say.
Instead, he said the data exists to answer the question, suggesting that people look at the GPS data to get a much better picture. It is a diplomatic way of acknowledging that the answer can be found by outsiders without him assigning blame.
Honda’s ADUO updates fall short
Honda’s ADUO updates have not been enough to let Aston Martin fight regularly for points. The source says both the internal combustion engine step and the turbo step have been introduced during the season.
Talk for some time has been that Honda’s focus is on bigger progress in 2027, so the shortfall this year has not come as a complete surprise. What stood out at Austin was Newey’s open acknowledgement that the gains had been smaller than hoped.
Why 2027 is the focus for Aston Martin and Honda
Newey believes the setback has strengthened Honda’s resolve to improve next year. He said the future is obviously the important bit for both companies.
He described Honda as very determined, noting that these things do not change overnight but that the company has a lot of good people and good processes now in place. Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll continue to race the AMR26 this season. Fans can explore the team on our Aston Martin collection page.
“I think it’s fair to say that Honda have probably been a little bit disappointed with how much progress they have managed to make this year.”
— Adrian Newey, Aston Martin team principal
“The future is obviously the important bit for both companies.”
— Adrian Newey, Aston Martin team principal
“They are very determined. These things don’t change overnight, but they have a lot of good people, a lot of good processes now in place.”
— Adrian Newey, Aston Martin team principal
Browse F1 Helmet Collection
Display and collector replicas only. Not certified for protective use. Full-size 1:1 scale.
This article was written with the help of AI tools. Editorial policy
