Honda make Red Bull F1 return with confirmed test

Tsunoda during race at Silverstone — Photo: © IMAGO

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Honda make Red Bull F1 return with confirmed test

A Honda power unit will return to a Red Bull car

By Sheona Mountford.

Tuesday 16 June 2026 18:38

Honda will return with Red Bull F1 team after parting ways as engine suppliers last year.

The dawn of the new regulations saw major changes at Milton Keynes with Red Bull launching their very own Powertrains project. And it just so happens that Red Bull's power unit was deemed the best performing - at least in regards to the ICE Performance Index - in comparison to established rivals Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda.

Meanwhile, Honda emerged in 2026 at the opposite end of the spectrum, with their poor reliability plummeting Aston Martin to the bottom of the grid, and Honda are perhaps wishing they could hark back to simpler times and when they were winning consecutive championships with Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

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Now their machinery, with the Honda power unit fitted, will be taken for a spin around the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya by former Red Bull star Yuki Tsunoda.

Tsunoda to take part in Red Bull TPC

Tsunoda's test is part of Red Bull's TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) programme, which means he will not drive a car from the brand new ruleset, nor powered by Red Bull Powertrains.

Instead, he will drive last year's Red Bull which is fitted with a Red Bull Honda RBPT for the session.

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies stated the purpose of the test was for Tsunoda to 'maintain his sense of driving an F1 car' and 'stay sharp as a reserve driver' after extensive simulator work.

F1 Red Bull Yuki Tsunoda Honda Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya