Horner reveals yet another reason why Honda deal for Aston Martin is smart
F1 News
- Toby McLuskie
A few weeks ago now, Aston Martin and Honda tied the knot: from the '26 season onwards, they will try to become Formula 1 world champions as partners. Not only does the team of currently Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll get access to the engine of a brand that is currently enjoying success with Red Bull, Aston Martin will also soon have a considerable financial advantage.
Christian Horner, Red Bull Racing team boss, is currently working with Honda. He previously indicated that it has been a great partnership (which, incidentally, lasts until the end of 2025) and that Aston Martin will have an excellent engine supplier. So in any case, Aston Martin is saying goodbye to Mercedes, with which it currently maintains a close relationship. That goes beyond just supplying engines.
Horner sees greater independence Aston Martin
"I think they'll get a competitive engine, but they already have a competitive engine. They will perhaps achieve more independence through their architecture, which is currently dictated by another team. It's very expensive for them in the cap. The transferable components come with a big tax on them. So it's not cost-efficient for them to be a customer [with another F1 team]."
In Formula 1, it is common for smaller teams in particular to buy parts from other teams. Haas, for example, has a close partnership with Ferrari. AlphaTauri buys a lot of parts from Red Bull Racing, while Williams and Aston Martin currently take a lot of parts from Mercedes.