Honda expect better power unit performance in Hungary as Aston Martin brings upgraded AMR26

However, the Japanese manufacturer will have to coordinate with Aston Martin, who are bringing the highly anticipated upgrade for their AMR26, which will effectively be a B-spec car for the team who are languishing down the 2026 F1 order.

Speaking ahead of the final race of the season before the summer break, Shintaro Orihara, Trackside General Manager and Chief Engineer, said: "The big talking point for the Hungarian Grand Prix is that the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One™ Team will introduce their chassis upgrade.

"We are working closely with them to support on the power unit integration aspects, making FP1 a very important session to check the functionalities," he added.

Honda are planning to bring their first power unit upgrade for the first race after the summer break, the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, as they benefit from the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) evaluation that granted them two upgrade opportunities.

But Fernando Alonso's and Lance Stroll's upgraded AMR26s will remain powered by the current Honda power unit, as Orihara is predicting a less painful weekend given the nature of the Hungaroring.

The Honda F1 boss said: "The Hungaroring is less sensitive for the power unit, so we may be able to expect better performance despite not having our B-spec engine here.

"It's also typically a warm race, so we will need to check the cooling elements too at the start of the weekend," he concluded.

Despite the ADUO report not being officially published, it is a known fact that Honda have the worst Formula 1 power unit of 2026 so far, with Red Bull Racing's internal combustion engine declared as the best. Mercedes have the best overall power unit considering both the engine and the electric component.