Departing Honda chief: 'Hope they continue with F1'

It is still unclear whether Honda can be admired in Formula 1 from 2026. The engine supplier did register with the FIA as a candidate, but that does not yet mean the Japanese will actually return to the king class of motorsport with a complete powerplant of their own. If it were up to outgoing chief executive Yasuaki Asaki, the board would choose Honda for a comeback.

Asaki, who is in his last month of service at Honda, has been at the head of the F1 project since 2015. He thus has a key role in the brand's (successful) return to Formula 1. He would be sorry if his employer chooses to abandon the chance of a return.

"Honda has always been a company with strange engineers. But by the time I joined the F1 project, the company was becoming very normal, boring engineers with a very normal way of speaking. But as we’ve become world champions, we’ve become a group of strange engineers again," Asaki told The Race.

According to the Japanese, it is important for Honda to continue the work. "Winning in F1 brings that kind of engineer to Honda again. I hope this keeps Honda like that.” Asaki continued: "Of course I hope for it [that Honda is retained for F1], but it’s up to the board members, or CEO running the company. It’s their decision.”

Honda at Red Bull until 2025

Honda will continue to support Red Bull's team up to and including the 2025 season, it was announced in August last year. Following talks between Red Bull and Honda, both parties agreed that HRC will continue to provide technical support to Red Bull Powertrains in relation to Formula One engine production until the end of 2025.

An extended partnership with the team of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez seemed obvious for a long time, but Red Bull eventually opted for a partnership with Ford from 2026.