2026 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

[ispano6]

Honda Spec2 engine was brought to Miami with hardware AND software upgrades(which are limited by regulations and must be used wisely), Spec3 engine v6 needs to complete reliability tests but doesn't have to be brought with the car updates. The long lead times for some of the components and materials will not be accelerated or skipped foolishly like some ask for. Why bring a smaller update fast when you can have a bigger more meaningful one a few weeks later especially given the restricted number of upgrades you can bring on the software side.

[ispano6]

Honda waiting, but is that due to Honda alone or the need to check the PU with a new gearbox, structural mounting system in chassis, vibration with chassis, etc. It's never a single cause for failure or delay.

There is no delay. There is only a timeline. No deadline or any promises as to how soon it will be ready. It will be ready when it's ready. Anything before that is premature and wishful thinking. Honda has stated they will use the summer break to develop the engine, so that obviously doesn't align with bringing the PU before the summer shutdown, unless they do so that they can use the shutdown to analyze and tune it. Just wait and watch.

[diffuser]

Honda Spec2 engine was brought to Miami with hardware AND software upgrades(which are limited by regulations and must be used wisely), Spec3 engine v6 needs to complete reliability tests but doesn't have to be brought with the car updates. The long lead times for some of the components and materials will not be accelerated or skipped foolishly like some ask for. Why bring a smaller update fast when you can have a bigger more meaningful one a few weeks later especially given the restricted number of upgrades you can bring on the software side.

The software isn't locked down; it's only the maps that are locked down once qualifying begins. This applies only to PU manufacturers that supply other teams, allowing the FIA to verify that all customer teams are using the same maps.

So, it's not a race-to-race lockdown—it's only in effect from qualifying through the race weekend. Note I believe that on sprint weekends, the maps are unlocked again between the sprint race and race qualifying. So they could use different maps between the sprint quali/race and race quali/race.

[mzso]

Honda Spec2 engine was brought to Miami with hardware AND software upgrades(which are limited by regulations and must be used wisely), Spec3 engine v6 needs to complete reliability tests but doesn't have to be brought with the car updates. The long lead times for some of the components and materials will not be accelerated or skipped foolishly like some ask for. Why bring a smaller update fast when you can have a bigger more meaningful one a few weeks later especially given the restricted number of upgrades you can bring on the software side.

Do you have any sources?

[diffuser]

Since the PU manufactures have to observe the same 2 week break as the teams, there isn't an advantage to Honda using the summer break to run more tests .....
During the shutdown, PU manufacturers are prohibited from activities such as:

Power unit design and development work
Production of PU parts
Assembly or sub-assembly of power units
Operation of engine test benches for F1 development
F1-related simulation activities

[ispano6]

Honda Spec2 engine was brought to Miami with hardware AND software upgrades(which are limited by regulations and must be used wisely), Spec3 engine v6 needs to complete reliability tests but doesn't have to be brought with the car updates. The long lead times for some of the components and materials will not be accelerated or skipped foolishly like some ask for. Why bring a smaller update fast when you can have a bigger more meaningful one a few weeks later especially given the restricted number of upgrades you can bring on the software side.

The software isn't locked down; it's only the maps that are locked down once qualifying begins. This applies only to PU manufacturers that supply other teams, allowing the FIA to verify that all customer teams are using the same maps.

So, it's not a race-to-race lockdown—it's only in effect from qualifying through the race weekend. Note I believe that on sprint weekends, the maps are unlocked again between the sprint race and race qualifying. So they could use different maps between the sprint quali/race and race quali/race.

Nope. Not talking about maps. ADUO4%+ grants Honda at least 1 software upgrade for performance if approved.

Software Upgrades vs. Parameter Maps

Homologation Schedule: Under Appendix C of the FIA Power Unit Regulations, custom team applications (the core code governing the PU and ERS) are officially homologated. While teams can register and use multiple predefined versions across a season, they cannot continuously deploy entirely new code structures or unapproved software logic.

Orihara stated they will use the summer break for development so not sure if that implies being able to or an error in his comments.

[ispano6]

Honda Spec2 engine was brought to Miami with hardware AND software upgrades(which are limited by regulations and must be used wisely), Spec3 engine v6 needs to complete reliability tests but doesn't have to be brought with the car updates. The long lead times for some of the components and materials will not be accelerated or skipped foolishly like some ask for. Why bring a smaller update fast when you can have a bigger more meaningful one a few weeks later especially given the restricted number of upgrades you can bring on the software side.

Do you have any sources?

Watanabe and Orihara, as-web.

[mzso]

Since the PU manufactures have to observe the same 2 week break as the teams, there isn't an advantage to Honda using the summer break to run more tests .....
During the shutdown, PU manufacturers are prohibited from activities such as:

Power unit design and development work
Production of PU parts
Assembly or sub-assembly of power units
Operation of engine test benches for F1 development
F1-related simulation activities

Well, I guess nothing stops the engineers from thinking hard.
Also, somehow I don't think the FIA is monitoring every computer a PU employee has.