Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has issued a statement ahead of the final season of the team’s technical partnership with Honda in F1 2025.
Red Bull have enjoyed huge success with Honda since the pair joined forces ahead of the 2019 season, with Max Verstappen winning four consecutive World Championships since 2021.
Honda officially withdrew from F1 at the end of that season, but has continued to provide technical support to Red Bull for the past three years.
In May 2023, Honda announced it would enter into a working partnership with the Aston Martin team in time for the sport’s major regulation changes, including radical engine and chassis modifications, in F1 2026.
It comes just months after Red Bull announced that American giants Ford would work with the team’s in-house Powertrains division on a 2026 engine, ending its relationship with Honda.
Ahead of the final season of the Red Bull-Honda partnership, Honda Racing Global’s official X account posted a clip of Horner issuing a statement.
In the video, Horner cited the 2023 campaign, which saw the RB19 car driven by Verstappen and Sergio Perez take 21 wins from 22 races in the most dominant season ever produced by an F1 team, as a highlight of Red Bull’s relationship with Honda.
He said: “2025 marks the final year of the Honda-Red Bull partnership in Formula 1.
“Seven years ago, when we announced our switch from [our] former supplier to Honda power units, some people questioned our decision.
“However, we have shown over the years with many historic records, such as the 21 wins in 22 races in 2023, that it was absolutely the right decision.
“For the final season, both Red Bull and HRC will spare no effort in our efforts to win.
“Until then, we will continue to work hard together to win every race and secure more championships.”
Honda’s switch to Aston Martin will see the Japanese manufacturer reunite with F1 design guru Adrian Newey, who announced his departure from Red Bull in May last year.
Newey, the most decorated person in F1 history with more than 200 race wins and a total of 26 Drivers’ and Constructors’ titles to his name, will join Aston Martin in the new role of Managing Technical Partner in March, as well as becoming a shareholder in Aston Martin.
Newey is expected to play a pivotal role in Aston Martin’s preparations for F1’s 2026 rules, having masterminded Red Bull’s success under the current ground-effect formula.
Aston Martin announced a major restructuring on Friday with former Mercedes engine boss Andy Cowell appointed as the new team principal.
Cowell will combine his new role with his current duties as Group CEO, with his predecessor Mike Krack set to become track director from F1 2025.
This comes after a disappointing 2024 F1 season for Aston Martin, which finished a distant fifth (374 points behind fourth-placed Mercedes) in the constructors’ standings.
