Honda says it can now turn its attention to extracting outright performance from its B-specification Formula 1 power unit after making progress on the driveability problems that affected Aston Martin earlier in the season.

The updated Honda power unit debuted at the Dutch Grand Prix, where Fernando Alonso scored ninth at Zandvoort. However, the subsequent races at Monza and Madrid highlighted that the new engine still had significant ground to make up in performance.

Honda chief engineer Shintaro Orihara said the manufacturer had made meaningful progress with the power unit’s behaviour over its first three races.

“Over the past three races we’ve improved the driveability of our spec 2 power unit,” Orihara said following the Spanish Grand Prix. “By reducing the driveability issue, we can now focus on the performance side.”

Honda also made calibration changes in Madrid and saw encouraging signs in the data from session to session. The manufacturer had previously identified combustion control and consistency as key areas requiring improvement after the B-spec engine’s introduction.

The development marks a change in emphasis for Honda as it attempts to close the performance deficit. At Monza, Orihara acknowledged that the power unit was still missing performance, while the circuit’s long straights provided a particularly demanding test.

For Aston Martin, the progress offers a potentially important development path for the remainder of the 2026 campaign. Honda’s focus now moves from making the engine easier for Alonso and Lance Stroll to exploit towards finding additional performance from the underlying package.