– The Aston Martin-Honda project is considered by many observers to be the biggest disappointment of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Instead of making a full breakthrough with stars like Adrian Newey and Fernando Alonso, they are currently last in the championship without any points after the first five races of the season.
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Former Formula 1 team principal Franz Tost is, however, convinced that this is only a snapshot. “The situation for Aston Martin is not good at the moment. Several factors play a role,” he explains in an interview with 15 Love – the Business Podcast.
One factor is, of course, the new engine partner Honda. They “put together something in the power unit that doesn’t work as well as they might have expected,” says Tost, who emphasizes, however: “But I know the Japanese, and I am convinced that they will solve the problem by next year at the latest.”
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In fact, the current situation is reminiscent of Honda’s failed “reunion” with McLaren between 2015 and 2017. When that project ended after three years, Honda joined Toro Rosso for the 2018 season under then team principal Tost.
In the following years, the Japanese managed a turnaround, winning numerous races and world championships with Red Bull, and Tost was also able to celebrate a Grand Prix victory together with Honda. In 2020, Pierre Gasly won the Italian Grand Prix in Monza for AlphaTauri.
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Tost therefore knows what the Japanese are capable of, and he also knows Adrian Newey well from his time in the Red Bull environment. He recalls that Newey only joined Aston Martin in March last year, which was “very late.”
“That is, of course, a very, very small window of time for such a huge project,” explains Tost, because while teams were allowed to start developing the 2026 cars from January 1, 2025, Newey started two months late.
“There is still a lot to be done,” says Tost, who emphasizes: “But I think that if Adrian is also in good health, he will manage to deliver a decent car for 2027. I am actually quite convinced of that.”
According to Tost, both Honda and Aston Martin should be able to sort out their respective difficulties by 2027. At least a small upward trend has been visible in recent weeks. However, they are still miles away from their self-imposed goals.
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