Aston Martin affected as Honda reportedly dismisses F1 engine chief – Aston Martin’s Formula 1 engine partner Honda is undergoing a significant management change, with Tetsushi Kakuda reportedly dismissed from his role overseeing F1 engine development, according to sport.de.
Honda has announced that Yoichiro Fukao will replace Kakuda from October 1 as the manufacturer prepares for the next generation of Formula 1 power units.
Kakuda reportedly dismissed by Honda
According to sport.de, Kakuda has been dismissed from his position as Honda’s lead project manager for Formula 1 power unit development.
Honda itself has confirmed that Kakuda will no longer hold the role from October 1, with Fukao taking over his responsibilities.
However, Honda has not publicly stated that Kakuda was dismissed because of the manufacturer’s disappointing performance during the 2026 season.
The timing of the decision is nevertheless notable, particularly with Honda supplying Aston Martin during a campaign in which the team has struggled to compete at the level expected.
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Honda preparing for a major change
Honda says the restructuring is designed to “further accelerate engine development and ensure a smooth transition to the next generation of engineers.”
The manufacturer has also connected the personnel changes with preparations for the next generation of Formula 1 power units.
Honda’s stated objective is to develop a “competitive power unit” for the new regulations, giving the Japanese manufacturer an opportunity to address some of the shortcomings of its current package.
For Aston Martin, that development will be particularly important given the team’s long-term ambitions.
Aston Martin still struggling with Honda power
The personnel change comes after a difficult 2026 campaign for Aston Martin.
Despite a substantial upgrade to the Honda power unit earlier in the season, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have continued to struggle for consistent competitiveness.
The team remains outside the leading battle and has been unable to extract the kind of performance that Aston Martin had hoped its Honda partnership would produce.
Honda has not directly blamed the current results on Kakuda, meaning any connection between his reported dismissal and Aston Martin’s struggles remains unconfirmed.
Pressure builds ahead of 2027
The relationship between Aston Martin and Honda has already attracted attention during the 2026 season, with reports of frustration over the performance being delivered by the Japanese manufacturer’s power unit.
Against that backdrop, the reported dismissal of Kakuda adds another layer of intrigue to the partnership.
Honda is now looking towards the next generation of Formula 1 regulations, while Aston Martin needs the Japanese manufacturer to deliver a substantial step forward if it is to challenge the established front-running teams.
Fukao will officially assume his new role on October 1, giving him a central responsibility in Honda’s preparations for the next era of Formula 1.
Source: sport.de reported that Tetsushi Kakuda had been dismissed from his Honda F1 engine development role. Honda’s own announcement confirms the change in personnel but describes it as part of its restructuring and preparations for the next generation of power units.
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