Red Bull have Aston Martin theory as Horner hails demise of Mercedes F1 deal
Red Bull believe Aston Martin will gain more independence in their operations after cutting ties with Mercedes to sign an engine supply deal with Honda.
Aston Martin have had their engines supplied by Mercedes since 2009, including when they were known as Force India and Racing Point. But from 2026, the Silverstone-based team will leave that partnership, having inked a deal with Honda instead.
And Red Bull boss Christian Horner believes that the change can give them a boost as they look to challenge for championships. Horner hailed the English side for building a team that is capable of battling his title winners.
“They’ll get a competitive engine, but they already have a competitive engine. They will perhaps achieve more independence because I guess their architecture is currently dictated by another team (Mercedes)," he said.
“And it’s very expensive for them in the cap, the transferable components come with a big tax on them, so it’s not cost-efficient for them to be a customer. It’s good to see Honda continuing in the sport.
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“They have obviously done a significant U-turn from where they were 18 months to two years ago. But I think their decision, in many ways, forced us to make a decision about our long-term future and not being beholden to a manufacturer and taking control of our own future.
“And by making the investment that we have in Red Bull Powertrains, it has enabled us to put the whole thing under one roof. It’s a huge task for 2026 but one that we’re really excited about.
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The Silverstone team have claimed five podiums with Fernando Alonso this season (AP)“For the long-term prospects of the team, its longevity and competitiveness, of having engine engineers and chassis engineers sitting under the same roof, for a fully integrated drive train, that will pay dividends in the long run.”
Honda were last in the sport when they supplied Red Bull with engines, winning the world championship together in 2021. The Japanese giant withdrew following that season, with Red Bull now making their own engines.
They will now be supplying a team who are on an impressive upward trajectory, claiming five podiums with Fernando Alonso so far this season. And boss Martin Whitmarsh believes the deal with Honda can be the final piece of the puzzle.
"The nature of F1 is if you want to win, it means beating Mercedes and it is extremely difficult to beat an organisation as good as Mercedes if you are reliant on them for intellectual property, facilities and components," he said.
"Team Silverstone has got a great tradition for delivering great bang for a small buck but we are in a different position now. The Aston Martin brand, the ambition of Lawrence Stroll and now with great partners like Honda, we are here to win.
"So in my view, it would be very, very difficult to win, consistently, championships without a full works relationship which is why we have made this decision and why we are delighted to have a fantastic partner like Honda."
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