Aston Martin examines possible 0.8-second gain from new Honda power unit
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 31, 2026, 1:15 PM
Last updated Jul 31, 2026
Aston Martin's F1 team debuted a revised AMR26 chassis at the Hungarian Grand Prix, enabling Fernando Alonso to qualify 16th. The team anticipates a significant boost from Honda's upgraded power unit, with sources reporting potential performance gains of 35 to 40 horsepower. This upgrade, allowed under the FIA's catch-up system due to previous struggles, is expected to improve lap times but the exact numerical benefits remain debated among analysts. The revised engine's performance will make its official debut at the upcoming Zandvoort Grand Prix.
- •Aston Martin qualified 16th with new AMR26 chassis at Hungary.
- •Honda's upgraded power unit may provide a 35 to 40 horsepower gain.
- •Debate exists over the actual lap time improvements from the upgrade.
- •Aston Martin utilized the FIA's Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities token.
- •The new engine will be tested at the Zandvoort Grand Prix.
- 1:15 PMYahoo Sports — Is Aston Martin’s New Honda Upgrade Really Worth 0.8 Seconds? Unpacking the 40-HP Rumors
"After a brutal start to the new 2026 regulation era, the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team is desperately looking for a silver bullet. The team recently debuted a heavily revised B-spec AMR26 chassis at the Hungarian Grand Prix, which…
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days
F1•Jul 31, 2026, 1:27 PMSergio Perez reveals how Max Verstappen's "pure" leadership made him a faster F1 driver
F1•Jul 31, 2026, 1:24 PMNewey assesses Aston Martin’s chances of keeping Alonso- F1•Jul 31, 2026, 12:44 PMF1 in talks with Hockenheim over Germany return 'in the medium term'
F1•Jul 31, 2026, 12:35 PMBehind the scenes of Arvid Lindblad's special first F1 British Grand Prix- F1•Jul 31, 2026, 12:01 PM'Another Verstappen & Toto photo emerges as Wolff welcomes a Kimi-Max line-up'
- F1•Jul 31, 2026, 11:35 AMDavid Croft calls out Lewis Hamilton over "careless mistakes" and costly F1 penalties
