Honda reveals exclusive negotiations with Red Bull

When Honda announced its withdrawal from Formula 1 in late 2020, no one could have predicted what would happen next.

The Japanese brand had only been working with Red Bull for two years at that stage. By the end of the following season, in 2021, it had powered Max Verstappen to his first world title.

A new deal between the two parties set up a structure that allowed Red Bull to still use the Honda engines up to and including this year. Over the intervening period, Verstappen has added three more titles, whilst Red Bull has twice been crowned constructors' champions.

But after this year, it is the end of the story. Red Bull is developing its own power unitr in partnership with Ford, and Honda will become Aston Martin's exclusive partner. Although it could have been very different.

"During our talks, we also talked about the option that Red Bull would make the combustion engine, and we would make the electric parts," Honda chief Koji Watanabe told Autosport.

Remarkably, it is the type of partnership Red Bull has forged with Ford.

"But that wouldn't have been easy," added Watanabe. "So in the end we concluded that it would be impossible to work together in that way."

The talks aimed to continue the exclusive partnership a little longer, but circumstances dictated otherwise.

"When we withdrew from Formula 1, Red Bull set up its own engine company," said Watanabe. "That basically left no room to continue together."

Honda had 'several' suitors

Although the logistical problems made it impossible for Honda to continue with Red Bull, that did not necessarily mean Honda had to leave Formula 1 and never return.

Indeed, Honda had already applied to continue developing engines under the new 2026 regulations. That application allowed it to negotiate with other teams.

"Initially, we only held talks between Honda and Red Bull," Watanabe said. "The talks with other teams only really started when we applied to be an engine supplier from 2026.

"Then a few other teams also contacted us because they were interested in Honda's engines. We talked to all those parties and made a choice."

Aston Martin was eventually chosen. You would assume McLaren was also interested. It is known, courtesy of CEO Zak Brown, that he visited all the different suppliers.

As to how other teams knocked on Honda's door, Watanabe is keeping his cards close to his chest.

"I can't give you the exact number, but it was several teams," he said. "With some of them we only had contact once and others we talked to several times."