Honda will introduce an upgraded Formula 1 power unit for Aston Martin at this weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix as the partnership attempts to turn recent progress into a genuine midfield challenge.
The revised RA626H, commonly described as Honda’s Spec 2 power unit, includes changes to the internal combustion engine, battery and supporting components. It will be combined with further updates to Aston Martin’s AMR26 following the extensive chassis package introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Honda believes the two developments can work together to move Aston Martin closer to the points. However, Zandvoort’s compressed Sprint schedule gives Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll only one practice session in which to evaluate the new package.
What Honda has changed
Honda says the updated RA626H produces more power through improvements to its internal combustion engine.
The manufacturer has revised the engine’s pre-chamber and piston shape to accelerate combustion. Changes have also been made to the lubrication system to reduce internal friction, while the battery and several other components have received smaller upgrades.
Honda has not disclosed a horsepower figure. Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s Trackside General Manager and Chief Engineer, said the manufacturer had achieved its internal target but stopped short of providing a specific performance gain.
That restraint is important. Reported horsepower figures surrounding Formula 1 upgrades are rarely verifiable without access to private dyno data, and the value of the package will depend on more than peak engine output.
Improved combustion, reduced friction and more predictable energy delivery could all help the driver use the available performance more consistently across a lap.
Honda says it used the development budget and additional bench-testing opportunities available through Formula 1’s Additional Development Upgrade Opportunities system.
The wider principles behind the current hybrid engines are explained in Tech Torque Media’s guide to the 2026 Formula 1 regulations.
Aston Martin needs the upgrade to build on Hungary
The new engine specification follows Aston Martin’s introduction of a substantially revised AMR26 at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
That chassis package initially endured a difficult practice debut, but the car became more consistent as the weekend progressed. Stroll climbed from 20th on the grid to finish 13th, while Alonso took 14th after starting 16th.
Neither driver scored, but the team finally appeared capable of racing within the midfield rather than simply managing its limitations.
Aston Martin described the Hungarian package as a stronger baseline for the second half of the season. Honda’s upgrade is intended to complement those chassis changes rather than operate as an isolated attempt to find lap time.
The challenge is ensuring both parts of the package work together. Extra power will offer limited benefit if the car remains difficult to balance, while an improved chassis still needs reliable and consistent energy delivery to compete effectively under the 2026 regulations.
Sprint format limits Aston Martin’s preparation
Zandvoort is a particularly demanding venue at which to introduce such an important upgrade.
The Dutch Grand Prix will use the Sprint format, leaving teams with one hour of practice before Sprint Qualifying begins on Friday. Aston Martin must therefore evaluate the new power unit, understand its interaction with the updated chassis and establish a competitive setup within a single session.
Honda has already completed limited on-track running with the power unit during a filming day at the Hungaroring, as detailed in Formula 1’s technical report, but that cannot replicate the intensity of a competitive race weekend.
Aston Martin will need to compare energy deployment, drivability, cooling and reliability while simultaneously preparing the car for Zandvoort’s banking and rapid direction changes.
As Tech Torque Media’s Zandvoort setup analysis explains, the circuit already gives teams little margin for error. The Sprint schedule makes arriving with an accurate simulator baseline even more important.
Why energy management matters at Zandvoort
Zandvoort’s 4.259km layout features few long straights but places repeated demands on the car through its fast, flowing corners.
The circuit’s energy-management challenge is not simply about reaching the highest possible speed. Drivers need predictable electrical deployment across the lap while recovering enough energy to maintain performance through subsequent sections.
Honda identifies this balance between recovery and deployment as one of the weekend’s key technical tests.
A more efficient internal combustion engine could also reduce the compromises required elsewhere in the power unit. However, the limited practice programme means Aston Martin may initially prioritise reliability and data collection over extracting every available tenth.
The broader weekend stakes are covered in Tech Torque Media’s 2026 Dutch Grand Prix preview.
What would count as progress?
The Spec 2 power unit is unlikely to transform Aston Martin into a frontrunning team immediately.
A more realistic objective is to close the gap to the established midfield, improve qualifying competitiveness and give Alonso and Stroll a genuine opportunity to fight for points.
Reliability will be equally significant. Aston Martin and Honda experienced serious vibration and reliability problems earlier in the season, so completing a demanding Sprint weekend without power-unit trouble would represent valuable progress.
Friday’s opening practice session should provide the first indication of whether the upgrade has improved drivability and energy deployment. The competitive verdict will come later, when Aston Martin must demonstrate that its revised package can sustain its performance across the Sprint and Grand Prix.
Tech Torque Verdict
Honda’s Spec 2 power unit is one of Aston Martin’s most important upgrades of the season.
The revised combustion system, reduced internal friction and smaller electrical improvements should give the team more performance to work with. Combined with the recently updated AMR26 chassis, it offers Aston Martin its clearest opportunity yet to join the midfield fight.
Zandvoort will not make the evaluation easy. One practice session, demanding energy management and an unforgiving circuit mean the package must work almost immediately.
A points finish would be an obvious success, but improved reliability, qualifying pace and consistent race performance would also show that Aston Martin and Honda are finally moving in the right direction.
