2026 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

[GhostF1]

Wasn't Honda's most important jump the one it made with the 2021 engine? Unless Ben Hodgkinson and RBPT can time travel they would have had precisely 0 to to with that.

Just to put this to bed.
RBPT had zero to do with the design of the PU whatsoever except for trackside maintenance, some battery work and just general chassis integration for ancillaries, cooling and external routing for the RBPTH001/2/3 used in the engine freeze years. The power unit IP remained with Honda and no one at RBPT had a single thing to do with the design of the engine.

That is only partly true because there are 2 RPBT companies under RBPT.

RBPT Limited (partner with Honda) - Established since 2022
RBPT 2026 Limited (100% RB + Ford) - Established since 2023

It is 100% true. What you have stated doesn't imply otherwise.

You are correct in that there were effectively two RBPT entities. And neither had any input in the design of the Honda PU IP. Which was designed and manufactured solely by HRC Sakura. As I mentioned previously.. RBPT, in partnership with Honda MK, only provided trackside maintenance and chassis integration improvements during the engine freeze years. Nothing to do with the design, internals, combustion methods, any of that good stuff with the power unit, in the sense we are discussing, has or had anything to do with RBPT.

This needs hammering home, as so much misinformation is being spread as fact. Those peddling the alternative haven't actually done their research about the entire Red Bull/RBPT/Honda mess around 2021-2022 and honestly just expose themselves as AI peddlers and it is becoming tiring.

[CHT]

I think the prize money and Aramco accounts for at least 130 million which was the budget cap.

Prize and sponsorship money are taken into account as sales for AMR, which is around GBP291m
Aramco sponsorship should be multi year, not per year basis.


Turnover, which excludes value added tax and trade discounts, represents sponsorship income,
prize money, non-F1 income and other income relating to the Group's principal activities and is
recognised in the year to which it relates once collectability is reasonably assured.
Both sponsorship income and prize money are recognised on an accruals basis across the period
in which it relates to.

In certain cases, the Group enters into agreements with suppliers whereby goods and services are
received in exchange for various sponsorship and marketing activities. In such cases, turnover is
recorded at the fair value of the goods or services rendered. Where these amounts cannot be
reliably estimated, no revenue is recognised.

Prize money in relation to performance in the Constructors' Championship is based on performance
in the preceding season. This revenue is recognised across the period of the Constructors'
Championship. Other commercial rights revenue is recognised as the respective rights are delivered
to the customer.

This is definetely AI word pudding

Zoom out for a second. They gain at least 100m in prize money. The budget cap each year is around 130-140 million. The team is not "heavily funded by shareholder loan".

This is taken from AMR GP Holding Limited Financial Statement filing. Nothing AI about it.

Look under Group of companies' accounts made up to 31 December 2024, look at page 23, section 2.6 on Turnover

https://find-and-update.company-informa ... ng-history

[CHT]

Just to put this to bed.
RBPT had zero to do with the design of the PU whatsoever except for trackside maintenance, some battery work and just general chassis integration for ancillaries, cooling and external routing for the RBPTH001/2/3 used in the engine freeze years. The power unit IP remained with Honda and no one at RBPT had a single thing to do with the design of the engine.

That is only partly true because there are 2 RPBT companies under RBPT.

RBPT Limited (partner with Honda) - Established since 2022
RBPT 2026 Limited (100% RB + Ford) - Established since 2023

It is 100% true. What you have stated doesn't imply otherwise.

You are correct in that there were effectively two RBPT entities. And neither had any input in the design of the Honda PU IP. Which was designed and manufactured solely by HRC Sakura. As I mentioned previously.. RBPT, in partnership with Honda MK, only provided trackside maintenance and chassis integration improvements during the engine freeze years. Nothing to do with the design, internals, combustion methods, any of that good stuff with the power unit, in the sense we are discussing, has or had anything to do with RBPT.

This needs hammering home, as so much misinformation is being spread as fact. Those peddling the alternative haven't actually done their research about the entire Red Bull/RBPT/Honda mess around 2021-2022 and honestly just expose themselves as AI peddlers and it is becoming tiring.

Correction
RBPT Limited (partner with Honda) - Established since 2021
RBPT 2026 Limited (100% RB + Ford) - Established since 2022

RBPT 2026 Ltd operation size an scope can be found in their annual tax filing.

2023 : 119 employee in production and 228 in R&D
2024 : 133 employee in production and 337 in R&D

In its 2024 filing it was mentioned that
______________________________________________
At the start of 2023, Red Bull Powertrains 2026 announced a key strategic partnership with the Ford Motor
Company. This partnership, along with the continued support from the wider Red Bull GmbH Group, enables the
continued investment in both the facilities and talent required to implement an operation capable of delivering a best
in class power unit, to be used in the Formula One World Championship from 2026 onward.

Development of Red Bull's own power unit has continued in 2024, with performance milestones achieved, which
will power Oracle Red Bull Racing and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls in the Formula One World Championship from
2026 onwards. Commissioning of our manufacturing, build and test equipment has also been completed. Support via the Ford Motor Company strategic partnership has made a valued contribution to the power unit development programme.

Whilst Red Bull Powertrains Limited, an affiliate of Red Bull Powertrains 2026 Limited, is party to agreements with
Honda Racing Corporation for the supply of current generation power units, no IP has transferred from Honda
Racing Corporation to the Company.
__________________________________________________

I am guessing that by 24/25, RBPT 2026 Limited has already started producing and test their 2026 engines without Honda involvement. And this include PU development etc.

[Badger]

This RBPT debate is settled and doesn’t belong in this thread.

As for AMR, this payment they have to make to AML cannot be good for the finances of the team. Especially not in a strained situation like this.

[CHT]

This RBPT debate is settled and doesn’t belong in this thread.

As for AMR, this payment they have to make to AML cannot be good for the finances of the team. Especially not in a strained situation like this.

The only person who may be able to keep AMR going is Ibrahim Khaled Almojel, who is currently director of AMR and have close connection with Saudi investment funds. But I have a feeling that those money committed have already been spent.

[Nikosar]

“In the end Aston will have the best car” trust El plan

Within 11 races best chassis
7 races for the B spec engine

[API]

Science fiction movie.

The others will improve so fast that this really won't be possible.

It will be a good result if they are ahead next year.

[dren]

“In the end Aston will have the best car” trust El plan

Within 11 races best chassis
7 races for the B spec engine

That'll be nice if it comes to fruition. I don't expect the cars to finish the first few races until the updates at China.

[diffuser]

“In the end Aston will have the best car” trust El plan

Within 11 races best chassis
7 races for the B spec engine

Love the optimism.

[TyreSlip]

“In the end Aston will have the best car” trust El plan

Within 11 races best chassis
7 races for the B spec engine

Love the optimism.

Especially since they cannot introduce the B spec engine until race 13.

[diffuser]

This RBPT debate is settled and doesn’t belong in this thread.

As for AMR, this payment they have to make to AML cannot be good for the finances of the team. Especially not in a strained situation like this.

The only person who may be able to keep AMR going is Ibrahim Khaled Almojel, who is currently director of AMR and have close connection with Saudi investment funds. But I have a feeling that those money committed have already been spent.

You're talking about 50 millions. That's chump change for Sttoll. If he had to he could sell 1% of AMF1 for 100M.

[Nikosar]

“In the end Aston will have the best car” trust El plan

Within 11 races best chassis
7 races for the B spec engine

Love the optimism.

Especially since they cannot introduce the B spec engine until race 13.

This what they said and what media is circulating:

Fernando Alonso:
“We will find a way to have the best car eventually.”

Adrian Newey :
“In six, seven or eight races, aerodynamically it will be the best chassis on the grid.”

Honda B‑spec engine (via Lobato):
“Honda is already working in Sakura to prepare the B‑engine option, potentially introduced by around the seventh race.”

Honda race‑2 improvement info:
“Honda reportedly told Aston Martin that meaningful PU improvements will start around Race 2 in China.”



Or probably it will be just like 2023 when someone said “ this is my last race without a podium”…. But let’s stay optimistic

[diffuser]

“In the end Aston will have the best car” trust El plan

Within 11 races best chassis
7 races for the B spec engine

Love the optimism.

Especially since they cannot introduce the B spec engine until race 13.

If you qualify you can have 2 PU upgrades in 2026. The first window would be June 1st. That would be before Spain or after 8 races and before the 9th.

[TyreSlip]

Or probably it will be just like 2023 when someone said “ this is my last race without a podium”…. But let’s stay optimistic

To be fair, Alonso started the year with a car that could fight the Ferraris and Mercedes, and he was told by the Silverstone engineers that the new updates they were bringing would bring downforce levels equivalent to Red Bull. There was no reason for Alonso not to believe them.

This year, however, is an entirely different kettle of fish.

[Leon Kennedy]

Bill, be nice .....

Ben Hodgkinson joined RBPT in May 2022. RBR had already won 4 of the first 6 race before Ben had his first cup of coffee or tea at RBPT.

Theoretically yes, but practically, in my opinion, no. He joined RBPT on April 23, 2021, and finished gardening in May 2022. But yes, don't you think he still contributed?

Ask Cardile. When he tried to skirt the gardening leave rules to start working for Aston, he found himself in front of a judge and ended up being delayed an extra month.


The 2nd thing is what did he tune ? There was no R&D at Honda in the UK. The IP was all in Japan. No manufacturing, no code, It was a high class Jiffy Lube. They disassemble the PU and reassembled them for the next race replacing parts that were allowed to be replaced. If there was ever a problem the whole PU was shipped to Japan. My money would be on that he started working on the 2026 PU. Whatever that entailed.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but you did well to mention the Cardile case, but I can mention Amr22 who had the same Redbull sidepods for someone's entry before the gardening .

So we have to see how you manage it.