Legendary designer Adrian Newey has revealed that Honda's F1 team makeup differs significantly from its glory years with Red Bull. It was only in November 2025 that Aston Martin leadership realized the team's structure had shifted, as Honda prioritizes moving talent between road car projects and Formula 1 to boost overall company knowledge.

Chief engineer Shintaro Orihara explained that while this philosophy develops internal talent, it initially led to a lack of specific F1 experience. This caused significant challenges during winter testing, as the workforce's development level was not yet sufficient for the rigors of F1.

To rectify this, Honda recently brought back several experienced employees from the Red Bull era to inject immediate know-how. Following a steep learning curve in early 2026, Honda aims to return to the 'racing field' via its Zandvoort upgrade, targeting status as a top competitor by 2027 or 2028.