Newey Says Honda Is Behind Its 2019 Level. Aston Martin’s Chassis Needs Work Too.

Adrian Newey backs Honda to recover from its difficult first season with Aston Martin, while Fernando Alonso says the AMR26’s inconsistent chassis also needs attention.

Adrian Newey has offered a blunt comparison for Honda’s current position: it is still behind the level it had reached when Red Bull became its works partner in 2019.

Speaking in Austin, Aston Martin’s team principal acknowledged the power-unit shortfall but backed Honda’s ability to improve. His qualification matters: by the time Red Bull began that partnership, Honda had already completed four seasons following its 2015 return.

The current Aston Martin partnership is in its first season under F1’s new power-unit regulations. Newey sees a manufacturer working through problems, with promising projects in development for 2027. He is not yet predicting where those projects will put it.

A power deficit, but no simple split

Newey pointed to the FIA’s ADUO power assessment as evidence of Honda’s deficit. However, he stressed that power alone does not explain how a power unit performs once installed in a car.

Asked how much of Aston Martin’s overall shortfall belonged to the chassis and how much to Honda, he declined to assign a percentage.

His assessment of Singapore was broader: “We never really got the PU and the chassis working properly.”

Alonso’s comments in Austin reinforced that distinction. He said the chassis had sometimes been the best in the midfield but had been unremarkable elsewhere. Malaysia, Budapest and Zandvoort had been stronger weekends; Singapore exposed weaknesses in both the chassis and power unit.

For Aston Martin, that leaves work on setup and understanding why the car’s competitiveness changes between circuits, alongside Honda’s development program.

Promise for 2027, without a deadline

Newey said Honda had probably been disappointed by the progress it had achieved this year. He nevertheless described a determined operation with promising development work underway.

“These things don’t change overnight,” he said.

He also clarified that the senior-level meeting between Honda and Aston Martin after Singapore was scheduled, part of discussions held every two or three months. Newey joined remotely.

The next step is to turn that work into a more competitive package. Newey would not say where Honda will stand at the start of 2027. Alonso’s assessment makes the other requirement clear: Aston Martin needs a chassis that delivers more consistently, too.