With Honda showing off the chassis of his single-seater, of the presentation of Red Bull for 2023, those of the energy drinks announced his deal with Ford by 2026. His agreement with a brand, with a logo, that returns to F1 after decades of absence after his last time with Jaguar in 2004. Now, with the Americans already on the pitch, the doubts are with the Japanese motor giant .
Because those of Sakura are one of the big names in ‘motorsport’. They are in motorcycling and also on four wheels. Both in competitions such as the IndyCar as well as in Formula 1. They were in the golden age of McLaren with Senna and Prost, and also now, after the “GP2 Engine” became a world champion engine for two consecutive years.
In 2021, they led Verstappen to the drivers’ title. In 2022, without being directly in F1, they served as support for Red Bull and its brand ‘Red Bull PowerTrains’ so that those of energy drinks were champions in constructors after almost ten years without seeing a trophy. Max, also, twice champion.
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Audi, Ford… and Honda, Porsche and Cadillac?
However, they said they were leaving. In fact, on paper, they are already gone despite their collaboration with Red Bull. Despite everything, they left a door open upon their return, one that was already left for 2026. For a 2026 in which they have registered as motorcyclists.
They are not the only ones, yes. Along with them are also Mercedes, Renault, Ferrari, Audi, and Ford. Maybe Porsche and Cadillac are too, depending on what happens with Andretti ... but they and Porsche are the only ones that do not have a chassis on which to mount their engine. They don’t have it, yes, at the moment.
With Red Bull and with Ford, and with Ferrari, Mercedes, Renault and Audi With their respective cars in F1, Honda has some options that could bring the Japanese back to the Great Circus in 2026. Among them was to acquire AlphaTauri with its own car, something that is going to be no because the agreement of those of energy drinks with the North Americans includes their ‘subsidiary’.
The Japanese have not been with their own team since 2008, when Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello took seats in a car that in 2009 became Brawn and in 2010 Mercedes. So, without AlphaTauri as a possible site, there would be the option of putting a power unit in a car.
Honda, own team… or biker?
The Japanese could move among these possibilities, already with the experience of being world champions and having won races in these years in which the engine counts so much. Everyone already has theirs, but Mercedes has dropped on more than a few occasions that maybe someone is left without a piece of cake.
There are two names there. One is Williams. The Grove’s They have actively and passively denied having an agreement with Porsche.. but the future is unpredictable. The Germans have two other client teams. One is McLaren But who knows if Honda decides to go back there seeing what happened from 2015 to 2017. The other is Aston Martin.
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Fernando Alonso’s current team could appear as more than sweet candy for any motorcyclist seeing the ‘overbooking’ that will be in 2026. The Asturian, yes, not especially ‘friend’ of Honda, what has been seen in the IndyCar having participated three times. The first was with them; the other two, with Chevrolet.
In this sense, the contract of the two-time world champion with the British it is multiannual. It may end in 2024, in 2025… or when it has to end. It is also true that Aston Martin has not closed the door on developing its own power unit in the future.
Five bikers in 2026… and maybe a few more
Many names are in 2026 registered as motorcyclists. From having four, F1 is going to have at least five and maybe nine if Porsche, Honda and Cadillac find their place in the World Cup.
