Honda has stopped short of endorsing Formula 1’s increasingly serious push towards a return to V8 engines, as speculation grows around Aston Martin’s longer-term power unit options.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has already spoken positively about moving away from the current formula, while FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Stefano Domenicali have both indicated that a V8-based concept could arrive as early as 2030.
Asked by Mundo Deportivo where Honda stands, HRC president Koji Watanabe was notably cautious.
“What do you think?” he laughed.
“It’s very simple. First of all, I haven’t received any official proposal from the FIA yet.”
“Of course, I’ve read the news, but that’s why I can’t give a definitive answer.”
Watanabe nevertheless made clear that Honda would want any future regulations to preserve Formula 1’s technological relevance.
“Given that F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport worldwide, we believe that F1 technology should be cutting-edge and sustainable. That’s important,” he insisted.
“But we’re completely open to discussing how to achieve such a power unit.”
The comments come amid speculation around Aston Martin following Honda’s difficult start to 2026.
Spanish reports have already linked Lawrence Stroll with exploratory contact involving Mercedes over a possible future customer arrangement, while separate rumours have even suggested Red Bull-Ford could become an option if Aston eventually decided Honda was not delivering quickly enough.
