Max Verstappen’s bond with Honda is well-known throughout the paddock. It goes beyond just race wins – it’s a mutual respect that developed during their time together at Red Bull.
That era was one of Red Bull’s most successful, powered by Honda engines. The partnership delivered four world championships and a string of dominant seasons, with Verstappen firmly at the heart of it all.
Honda engineer shares the moment Verstappen’s professionalism stood out
Speaking with Sportiva Shueisha, Honda engineer Yoshino Makoto was asked about the standout moments from his time in Formula 1.
Reflecting on his spell with Red Bull, he highlighted a particular memory involving Verstappen that stayed with him.
“When Verstappen won the 2022 Belgian Grand Prix, I was able to stand on the podium as a representative of Red Bull Racing. During the ceremony, I was called by the organisers and went to the waiting room with Verstappen.”
“After the race, he was completely exhausted. When he went backstage, and there were no people around, he looked very tired, and there wasn’t much strength in his handshakes.
“But during the award ceremony or when he was being interviewed, he became very energetic. So when I saw him push himself and perform in front of the media and audience even though he was physically exhausted before that moment – I thought that it was amazing,” Yoshino continued.
The partnership between Verstappen and Honda appears to be over now that Honda has joined forces with Aston Martin ahead of next season.
Still, Honda president Koji Watanabe has made it clear that he’d be open to working with Verstappen again if a move to Aston Martin ever materialised for him down the line.
Honda and Aston Martin Face a Challenging Start to New Partnership
The early stages of Honda’s new partnership with Aston Martin haven’t gone smoothly.
With Adrian Newey now in charge as team principal, he’s already said to be dealing with some issues on the engine side of things.
Reports of friction between him and Andy Cowell haven’t helped matters either.
Aston Martin nearly missed F1’s shakedown in Barcelona last month, and their limited running at that behind-the-scenes session is now being felt in Bahrain.
Honda engine issues have disrupted Aston Martin’s test schedule, with problems that should have been spotted earlier only now becoming apparent.
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