Aston Martin and Honda are buzzing after a productive filming day at the Hungaroring, where they got their first proper taste of the upgraded Honda engine. The team stayed behind after the Hungarian Grand Prix to run reserve driver Jak Crawford in the AMR26 fitted with Honda's new RA626H power unit. What they found in the GPS data was exactly what they needed to hear, with the upgraded engine delivering around 30 horsepower more than the version Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have been struggling with all season.

More F1 news: Nine Current F1 Drivers Were at Sepang in 2017, But Most Weren't Even Born Yet

The improvements don't stop at raw power either. Honda's work using the FIA's ADUO upgrade tokens has also managed to tackle one of Aston Martin's biggest headaches from the start of 2026, those brutal vibrations that have been plaguing the engine. The test conditions meant neither Alonso nor Stroll could join Crawford for the shake-down, but both drivers will get their first proper run with the upgraded unit at the Dutch Grand Prix in a few weeks.

More F1 news: Vasseur Stands Firm: Ferrari Won't Abandon Its Upgrade Strategy Despite McLaren's Success

Now, 30 horsepower is a solid gain and definitely welcome news after a nightmare start to the season, but it's not going to suddenly make Aston Martin's engine rival what Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari have cooked up. Still, every bit of performance counts when you're fighting back from where they've been. The team's already made strides with Adrian Newey's new B-spec chassis package introduced at Hungary, so combining that with Honda's power boost gives them genuine hope heading into the back half of the campaign.

More F1 news: Rachel Brookes' Wild 2027 Driver Shuffle: Russell to McLaren, Verstappen to Mercedes, Piastri to Red Bull

The Dutch Grand Prix on August 21 to 23 marks the big moment when fans will see if these upgrades actually translate to the track. It'll also be Formula 1's final visit to Zandvoort for the foreseeable future, making it a special occasion. Alonso and Stroll will get their proper first taste of the new engine there, and with momentum building from both the chassis and power unit improvements, Aston Martin's recovery mission might finally be picking up speed.

Shop the collection: Fernando Alonso merch  •  Lance Stroll merch  •  Scuderia Ferrari merch  •  Red Bull Racing merch  •  Mercedes-AMG merch  •  Aston Martin merch