FIA Confirms 2026 F1 Engine Suppliers, And Honda Is Back

Last week the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) confirmed the six manufacturers registered as Power Unit Suppliers for the 2026 to 2030 seasons. The list is exactly what you'd expect, except for the inclusion of the Honda Racing Corporation, which is no longer connected to Red Bull.

On the same day, Red Bull announced that it's teaming up with Ford, which is being widely celebrated as the best automotive deal since Porsche went public. Given Red Bull and Ford's combined F1 prowess, the resulting team will surely be epic. They are registered on the list as Red Bull Ford.

Other power unit suppliers include Alpine Racing, Audi, Ferrari, and Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains.

Three of the names on that list are new, and we have explanations for two. We already know Ford will play a more significant role than initially thought and that Audi is entering F1 by buying shares in Sauber.

But Honda's name on that list is a massive surprise. We know that Red Bull started its own power unit department and that several of Honda's engineers at its Milton Keynes facility were moved down the road to the Red Bull Campus. Honda is still deeply involved with the current powertrain, which is why RB19 and the team's clothes still carry the Honda badge.

Ford has to start working on the 2026 power unit immediately, so things might be awkward at the Red Bull Campus for the next three years. Honda's deal to help Red Bull only stretches until the end of 2025, so what's the Japanese brand up to?

Honda hinted that it might return to F1 before, but this is the first concrete evidence, and it's sad that it got lost in all the noise surrounding Red Bull Ford.

No announcement has been made, but we can see where this is going. Michael Andretti recently spoke about the trials and tribulations of entering F1, and he stated that there are various things they can do with another manufacturer. "It would not be a badged engine because there would be intellectual property from Cadillac in that engine," said Andretti.

Would Honda and General Motors work together? Yup, the two giants are already working on EV and hydrogen technology, and both would benefit from lining up on the grid. Like everyone else, they also want to market existing and upcoming EVs built on the GM Ultium platform, like the Honda Prologue and Cadillac Lyriq.

While we're happy to see Honda on the official list, we couldn't help but notice the absence of Porsche. The German brand said it would continue to shop around for a partner, but it appears all the deals fell through. It seems those Williams rumors were unfounded. Even though the new power units will only be used from 2026, development work is already well underway.

As it currently stands, Alpine will still use its own engine. Ferrari will continue to use its engine while providing engines to Haas and Alfa Romeo (Sauber), the latter only until 2026 though. Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains will power Hamilton and Russell and the Williams team. Audi and Red Bull Ford will only officially enter the sport in 2026.

"The confirmation that there will be six Power Unit manufacturers competing in Formula 1 from 2026 is a testament to the strength of the championship and the robust technical regulations that have been diligently created by the FIA in close collaboration with Formula 1 and the Power Unit manufacturers," said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.