Newey says Honda trails the level it reached in 2019

Adrian Newey says Honda is “a little bit behind” the level it had reached when Red Bull Racing took it on in 2019. He is nevertheless confident the manufacturer can accelerate quickly and understand the challenges of the current power-unit regulations.

At Friday’s United States Grand Prix press conference, Newey said Honda’s earlier return to Formula 1 was in 2015, four seasons before the Red Bull comparison. He described 2026 as Honda’s first year back in the sport.

Newey also said Honda had probably been a little disappointed by how much progress it made in 2026. He pointed to power-unit projects that may still be in their early stages but said he saw promise in them; it was too early, he added, to say exactly where the unit would be at the start of 2027.