OPINION | Aston Martin ditching Mercedes for Honda could change the F1 landscape

New technical regulations for 2026 are set to level the Formula 1 playing field once again. If a team gets it right, it can be hugely beneficial. The opposite is true if they don't.

Among the big talking points regarding 2026 is the power unit (PU) providers taking aim at the sport as it moves towards a carbon-neutral future.

This environmentally conscious undertaking motivated Honda to make an umpteenth U-turn on its decision to quit F1, and why current teams are weighing up their options for PU partners.

One of the teams said to be considering all its 2026 options is Aston Martin, led by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll, who is rumoured to have had talks with Honda.

The Aston Martin team has seen an immense surge in performance this year, but Stroll, like many F1 team owners, will be looking at every possible avenue to generate the best possible success in the sport.

But what about Mercedes?

What about it?

Aston Martin is a well-known British automaker. However, while the brand's road cars are dripping with sensuality, it has suffered a lot due to outdated technologies. Enter Daimler, parent company to Mercedes-Benz and its performance arm, Mercedes-AMG.

In 2020, Daimler bought a 2.6% stake in the British automaker, which increased to more than 20% in 2023.

READ: Bigwigs give Mercedes F1 team ultimatum: Start winning, or we support Aston Martin

Aston Martin's latest generation of road cars now benefits directly from Mercedes-AMG technology, including engines and transmissions. It also translated into a deeper and more meaningful relationship between Mercedes' F1 team and the outfit run by Stroll.

Aston Martin's F1 project benefits from a raft of technical support and componentry supplied by the Mercedes team, including