AUGUST 28, 2026

Honda waits for FIA detail before joining V8 chorus

Honda says it is open to discussing Formula 1's next engine formula but wants the championship to retain technological relevance and sustainability.

Honda is not ready to join Formula 1's growing V8 campaign until it sees an actual proposal from the FIA.

The governing body, Formula 1 and the manufacturers have been discussing a future engine based around sustainable fuel, a larger internal-combustion component and less electrical power. The next rules cycle is presently expected in 2031, although an earlier introduction has been discussed.

Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe said the company had not yet received a formal plan.

I haven't received any official proposal from the FIA yet, he said. Of course, I've read the news.

Honda's position is that Formula 1 should remain technically advanced and sustainable. It is open to discussing how a future engine can meet those objectives but is not committing itself to a specific number of cylinders.

That is a more careful answer than some of the enthusiastic endorsements heard elsewhere. Honda has only just returned as Aston Martin's works partner under regulations designed around a much larger electrical contribution.

Writing off that investment after one season would require more than an attractive soundtrack and some encouraging comments from rival team principals.

The V8 proposal remains a serious subject, but it is still a discussion rather than a regulation. Honda would like to see the second part before applauding the first.