Honda plotting to recommit to Formula 1 as interest in 2026 engines grows

Honda Racing president Koji Watanabe has confirmed Honda's potential interest in building Formula 1 engines for 2026 and beyond.

While Honda officially withdrew from F1 after the 2021 season, citing its increased focus on the electrification of its road car industry, Honda continues to power the Red Bull and AlphaTauri as their power units are manufactured and shipped from Honda's base in Sakura, Japan.

With Honda is still, unofficially, supplying the two Red Bull teams, branding for 'HRC' (Honda Racing Corporation) was re-introduced on the RB18 late in the 2022 season after another season of success for the Japanese power units.

Due to the ongoing F1 engine freeze, with minimal development costs, the arrangement with Red Bull is set to run until the end of 2025. The new power unit regulations are scheduled to be introduced for the 2026 season.

The potential for continuing this relationship on a more formal basis remains in place, particularly following the breakdown in talks between Red Bull and Porsche regarding a works link-up for the new regulations.

Honda registered interest for 2026 power units regulations

The FIA requested a soft deadline in mid-November for manufacturers to register interest in the 2026 power unit regulations, and Honda has confirmed they have put their names down on this list.

However, this deadline is not a binding contract that ensures their participation. It merely serves as an expression of interest and gets Honda a seat at the table for discussions regarding the introduction of the new regulations.

"As HRC, we have registered as a PU manufacturer after 2026," confirmed Watanabe during Honda's 2023 Motor Sports Activity Plan Presentation, as quoted by the Japanese subsidiary of Motorsport.com.

"The