Honda reveal details of 'Spec 2' power unit set to debut at Dutch Grand Prix

Honda have offered some insight into the updated power unit Aston Martin will run from the Dutch Grand Prix onwards, which should go hand-in-hand with their recent upgrades to help them improve through the midfield.

Despite widespread excitement around their collaboration, the 2026 season got off to a difficult start as Aston Martin found themselves at the bottom of the pecking order with the power unit suffering from vibration issues and poor reliability.

The teething problems were fixed in the early rounds, allowing them to switch their attention to planning upgrades later in the year. Unlike many of their rivals, they opted to introduce a B-spec car at the Hungarian Grand Prix as opposed to bringing smaller updates to each weekend.

It appeared to be the right call, with the team surging ahead of Cadillac and Williams in Qualifying before Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso claimed P13 and P14 respectively on race day.

Further progress is expected at the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix, where engine partner Honda will bring a second specification power unit that is intended to close the gap to faster competitors like Racing Bulls and Alpine.

Shintaro Orihara, Trackside General Manager and Chief Engineer at Honda, said: “We focused on improving engine performance, let’s say to make combustion faster. It’s kind of a secret, but I can disclose a little bit.

“We changed the pre-chamber to make combustion faster, and also we changed the piston shape to get good combustion. We modified some lubrication systems to reduce friction. We have a quite big list to improve engine performance.”

They ran the power unit for the first time on-track during a filming day at the Hungaroring, putting it to the test and finding out how it complements the extensive 16 upgrades Aston Martin debuted at the same circuit.

While no public comment has been made on the day’s success, there is a general sense of optimism that the team will be better placed to compete for points, with Alonso hopeful that the second half of the year will represent a “new start of the championship”.

Asked how many horsepower the new engine will bring, Orihara replied: “I can’t disclose that detailed number, but we have achieved our internal target and I’m confident in what the HRC Sakura factory guys achieved for the spec 2 engine.

“We are excited to bring the new spec engine to the Netherlands and we will see where we are.”