Honda buys a new base in the United Kingdom ahead of its return to F1 in 2026
The Japanese motorist has just announced the creation of a new British division that will support Aston Martin from the 2026 season.
HRC UK , is the name of the entity that is born in the United Kingdom. It provided engines for Red Bull since 2019, the Honda team then partially withdrew from the world of Formula 1, at the end of the 2021 season , during Max Verstappen’s first victory.
Honda was nevertheless involved in the development of the engines supplied to Red Bull Powertrains for its two teams (Red Bull and Visa Cash RB, formerly AlphaTauri).
A return expected in 2026
A rather logical decision since, as we know, Honda is preparing its official return in 2026 as a partner of the team Aston Martin owned by Lawrence Stroll. Red Bull will collaborate with Ford on its side. A season where there will be the launch of the new technical regulations.
The competition department of Honda was no longer present on English soil unlike Aston Martin, which is one of the reasons that led the engine manufacturer to create HRC UK. It will be managed by Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation.
The objective will be to maintain the engines during the season as well as their development, which was mainly carried out in Japan.
In a press release, it is explained that: « This new infrastructure has been established for post-race maintenance, for preparations in building Honda’s power units in F1 while also serving for logistical operations in the European region ».
We do not yet know where the new developments will be located. The recruitment should start in the coming weeks. After the creation of the new company in the United Kingdom, HRC will start recruiting engineers, technicians, and staff members from the spring of 2024.
