On January 20, 2026, Honda and Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team officially launched their partnership, signaling a major shift in the F1 landscape; the topic of compression ratio also came up.
Starting with the 2026 season, the British squad will transition from Mercedes power to become the primary factory partner for Honda, utilising a power unit designed for the sport’s next generation of technical regulations.
Honda and Aston Martin F1 technical perspective on variable compression ratio
A significant point of the launch discussion was the ongoing debate surrounding variable compression ratio technology within the new 2026 power unit regulations. In internal combustion engines, the compression ratio is a fundamental lever for thermal efficiency. However, the complexity of implementing such systems in a high-performance racing environment has sparked a debate over fair play and regulatory clarity.
Koji Watanabe, CEO of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), noted that the new rules allow for various technological interpretations. He explained that because the regulations do not define every mechanical detail explicitly, there is a competitive “race” just in how teams read and interpret the new regulations. Honda has developed several unique concepts and intends to consult with the FIA to determine their feasibility.
“So regulations do not have everything listed very clearly bit by bit. So in the new regulation, we look into the possibility of the new technology for each of the different power units. There is a lot of room for interpretation as well, and this is also part of the race.
“We have a lot of different ideas, and we would like to discuss with FIA to understand if our ideas is accepted or is it not okay.”
Cowell on thermal efficiency and the push for mechanical limits
Andy Cowell, Chief Strategy Officer at Aston Martin, reinforced the importance of this specific technical area. He observed that the compression ratio is a recurring topic of conversation whenever Formula One resets its engine regulations.
According to Cowell, the compression ratio is a fundamental element for enhancing the thermal efficiency of an internal combustion engine. Consequently, every manufacturer will naturally attempt to push this aspect to its absolute mechanical limit. He noted that while teams strive for maximum performance, the FIA is currently tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that every manufacturer’s interpretation of these rules remains fair and balanced across the board.
“The topic of compression ratio, there’s always a topic that bubbles up when new regulations come into place, and every competitor reads the regulations and pushes performance to the limit. Compression ratio is clearly a key thermal efficiency enabling aspect of an internal combustion engine, so you always push it to the limit. So I’m sure every single power unit manufacturer is doing that.
“And as mentioned, the FIA have the job to make sure that everybody interprets the regulations in a fair and equal way, which is what’s ongoing at the moment.”
