Marko warns Aston Martin about the restrictions Honda may impose

Aston Martin will become a self-sufficient team in 2026 following the confirmation of its partnership with the Japanese manufacturer. This will allow Honda to return to F1 as a supplier after its withdrawal at the end of 2021.

Speaking to Motorsport Magazin after the announcement by Aston Martin, Marko emphasized that it changes nothing for them.

We made the decision to build our own engine after Honda announced that they were going to stop everything. In order to not become dependent again, we made this decision at that time.

« It’s a courageous decision on our part, but also a costly decision. Today, Red Bull Powertrains is doing very well. We are on schedule. All the engines that have already been built are more or less at the expected level. »

« For us, it’s working very well like this, so there’s no possibility of going back. There have been discussions about a return to our team, but we couldn’t agree with Honda on who would do what. Afterwards, Ford approached us and we are now partners for 2026. Obviously, they have no experience in current Formula 1, but they can bring a lot to the battery. »

By giving an overview of what Aston Martin can expect from its working relationship with Honda, Marko added: « Honda is very restrictive when it comes to communication about the engine. The intellectual property and everything related to it belong to Honda. We do not receive detailed information. »

« The departure was sudden, which forced us to react. When Honda decided to continue in the world of Formula 1, there was no common path that would have been satisfying for Red Bull as well. »