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Honda targets improved drivability at Monza after their Zandvoort PU upgrade Shintaro Orihara says Honda has continued development work since Zandvoort as Aston Martin prepares to exploit its upgraded power unit at the high-speed Italian circuit Honda is targeting another step forward in performance at the Italian Grand Prix, with the Japanese manufacturer focusing particularly on drivability and combustion control following the introduction of its RA626H Spec 2 power unit at Zandvoort. The second specification of Honda’s 2026 power unit delivered the targeted performance improvement at the Dutch Grand Prix, helping Fernando Alonso finish ninth. However, Honda Trackside General Manager and Chief Engineer Shintaro Orihara admits the manufacturer still trails its rivals in overall power. Monza will therefore provide an important test of the latest developments, with its long straights and exceptionally high full-throttle ratio placing particularly heavy demands on the power unit. “Monza is a unique circuit with one of the highest full-throttle ratios on the 2026 calendar, with its long straights and only 11 corners,” Orihara explained. “At this track, how you distribute the limited energy across these sections becomes crucial, and this is especially amplified in qualifying.” Power sensitivity makes Monza a major Honda testMonza is one of the most power-sensitive circuits on the Formula 1 calendar. Cars spend a significant proportion of the lap at full throttle before reaching some of the championship's heaviest braking zones. The combination of long straights and the increased electrification of the 2026 power units makes energy deployment particularly important. Teams must carefully balance electrical assistance with limited harvesting opportunities while ensuring sufficient performance remains available for the crucial acceleration zones. According to Orihara, this makes the Italian Grand Prix a particularly revealing test of Honda’s progress. “The lap times at Monza are highly sensitive to power,” he said. “With the introduction of our spec 2 engine in Zandvoort, we have made a step forward in terms of performance, but we need to be realistic about the upcoming weekend as we know that we are still behind our competitors in terms of overall power.” The comments underline that Honda does not expect the Spec 2 upgrade alone to close the entire performance deficit. Instead, the manufacturer is continuing to work on extracting greater performance from the package. Honda focusing on combustion controlThe key area of development heading into Monza is driveability. Since the Dutch Grand Prix, Honda has been working extensively on its dyno at HRC Sakura, with the objective of improving the consistency of combustion control. The work is aimed at delivering a more stable and predictable power delivery across the lap. “Our key focus at the Italian Grand Prix is to improve driveability,” Orihara said. “Since the Dutch Grand Prix, we have been working a lot on the dyno at HRC Sakura to improve this and, specifically, to achieve stable and consistent combustion control.” That work will now be put to the test in real-world conditions at Monza. “At Monza, we will be confirming the effect of that work and carrying out further tuning, which will give us more competitiveness in the coming races,” Orihara added.