Verstappen says he is disappointed to see Honda leaving Red Bull
While Honda has just announced its future partnership with Aston Martin from 2026, the two-time world champion expresses disappointment and even speaks of a "waste".
After a successful partnership with Red Bull Racing that saw them win at least two driver titles and one constructor title, the Honda engine will therefore leave the Austrian team to fit under the green bodywork of Aston Martin starting from the 2026 season.
While everyone is expressing their enthusiasm about this future Anglo-Japanese partnership, a dissenting voice emerged on the eve of the first free practice session of the Monaco Grand Prix, and it’s none other than Max Verstappen’s. The Dutch driver is questioning, in particular, Honda’s flip-flopping when it comes to their decision of whether or not to remain in F1.
I think that on our side, it’s a shame to see how all of this unfolded. A few years ago, they announced that they would stop. Then, Red Bull created its own engine division and then they finally said they would continue. So yes, I would say it’s a bit of a waste.
Referring to his collaboration with the Japanese engine manufacturer, Verstappen praises a relationship that is running perfectly today: “We have an excellent relationship with them. I loved working with Honda and we have achieved a lot of success together. It’s a bit sad to see them go to Aston Martin, who will have a great engine. On our side, we will have a new challenge to face.”
This new challenge will be called Ford for Verstappen and Red Bull starting from 2026: « We are very excited about the prospect of working with Ford. But everything that has happened could have been avoided » concludes the double world champion.
