Aston Martin’s attempt to rescue its disastrous Formula 1 season is entering a decisive new phase.
Honda will run its upgraded power unit for the first time on Wednesday, when Aston Martin conducts a filming day at the Hungaroring just days after the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The engine had originally been expected to appear for the first time when Formula 1 returns from its summer break at the Dutch Grand Prix. Instead, Honda has brought forward its initial track test, allowing Aston Martin to collect data before the sport enters its mandatory shutdown.
According to Motorsport’s report on Honda’s revised plans, the updated unit will be installed in the AMR26 for Wednesday’s filming day before making its competitive debut at Zandvoort from August 21 to 23.
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Honda brings forward crucial first test
Honda initially planned to introduce the updated power unit during the opening race weekend after the summer break.
The manufacturer has now decided to use Aston Martin’s filming day in Hungary to complete the engine’s first laps under controlled conditions.
“In Hungary, we have been supporting the team with the power unit integration,” Honda trackside general manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara said.
“We’ve also been able to collect vital data, which will help us come to the next race.”
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“We will now take the important step of introducing our new-spec power unit in the Netherlands.”
“Before then, during Wednesday’s filming day, we will run the new engine in the AMR26 for the first time, before the summer shutdown commences.”
The test will not replicate the demands of a full Grand Prix weekend, but it will provide Honda and Aston Martin with an opportunity to confirm that the updated engine operates correctly inside the heavily revised car.
Any installation problems, cooling concerns or unexpected behaviour can therefore be identified before the team arrives at Zandvoort.
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Aston Martin desperately needs more power
The engine upgrade comes after a deeply disappointing first half of the season for Aston Martin and Honda.
The partnership began 2026 with expectations of challenging near the front of the grid. Adrian Newey had taken responsibility for designing the team’s first car under the new technical regulations, while Honda returned as Aston Martin’s exclusive works engine supplier.
Instead, the AMR26 spent much of the opening 10 rounds near the back of the field.
Both the chassis and power unit lacked performance, leaving Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll frequently fighting with newer or considerably less well-funded teams.
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Honda’s upgrade has been made possible by Formula 1’s Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities system. The mechanism permits power-unit manufacturers that fall sufficiently behind the leading engine to introduce controlled performance upgrades during the season.
As explained by the FIA’s official guide to the system, manufacturers whose internal combustion engines are more than two per cent behind the strongest unit can be given additional development opportunities.
The rule was created to prevent one engine manufacturer from remaining uncompetitive for an entire regulation cycle.
Newey’s new car finally shows signs of life
Honda’s test follows the debut of Aston Martin’s extensively upgraded car at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
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Newey and his technical department introduced 16 declared changes to the AMR26, including a revised nose, new aerodynamic surfaces, modifications to the rear suspension and significant weight reduction.
The package was substantial enough to be widely described as a B-specification version of the original car.
Fernando Alonso reached the second part of qualifying for the first time this season and started 16th. Stroll finished the race in 13th position, one place ahead of his Spanish teammate.
Those results were not spectacular, but they represented meaningful progress for a team that had regularly been isolated at the rear of the field.
According to Aston Martin’s official Hungarian Grand Prix review, the upgraded car behaved broadly as the team’s simulation tools had predicted. That correlation was described as an important sign that Aston Martin’s development process is finally moving in the right direction.
“We came into this weekend with an objective to be in the fight with other cars,” Newey said.
“It’s a first step and we know a long road is ahead, but it’s a positive one.”
Alonso sees a new baseline
Alonso described the Hungarian package as a genuine step forward, although he warned that Aston Martin remains far from the level required to fight near the front.
The two-time world champion said the car had become more consistent and predictable, allowing him to attack with greater confidence.
“I think it was a good step forward, both in quali and the race, so yes, a new baseline to work with for the second part of the year,” Alonso said.
“The correlation is good and the performance gains are there, what we expect.”
“It’s obviously early days with this new car. It’s a completely new car, new concept, so more to come maybe on setup, optimisation and things like that.”
Alonso also pointed directly to the Honda upgrade as the next important test of Aston Martin’s progress.
“Next race is also with the engine upgrade,” he said. “It will be an interesting check in Zandvoort, where we are and what we can fight for.”
More changes are already coming
The Hungarian package represents only the first part of Aston Martin’s planned recovery.
Newey has confirmed that additional car upgrades are scheduled for Zandvoort, with further developments expected at Monza and Baku.
“The provisional results are promising,” Newey said during the FIA’s official team representatives’ press conference.
“It’s only part of the package, so we’ll have some more steps in Zandvoort and then further in Monza and Baku.”
The upgrades are intended not only to improve Aston Martin’s position during the second half of 2026, but also to prove that the team’s reorganised design tools and technical processes can produce reliable results.
Newey previously admitted that Aston Martin began serious work on the 2026 car later than several of its rivals and entered the season with outdated internal systems.
He described the opening races as a “complete nightmare” and said the immediate target was simply to return the team to “a point of respectability”.
Wednesday could shape Aston Martin’s comeback
A filming day will not determine whether Honda has solved its power-unit problems.
The limited running will provide only an initial check before the engine is exposed to qualifying modes, race distances and the demanding energy requirements of a full Grand Prix weekend.
However, bringing the test forward gives Aston Martin valuable information before the new unit’s competitive introduction.
The timing is also significant. For the first time this season, the team has evidence that its chassis developments are working as expected. Honda must now demonstrate that its own upgrade can deliver a similar improvement.
Aston Martin began the year talking about victories and championships. By Hungary, Newey was speaking only about restoring respectability.
Wednesday’s first run will offer the earliest indication of whether the team’s recovery is real, or whether its nightmare season is merely entering another chapter.
