Honda and Renault to Skip F1 Summer Shutdown for Engine Development
Honda and Renault will continue engine work through Formula One's summer break, aiming to close the gap to rivals as teams observe the mandatory shutdown.
Honda and Renault will keep their Formula One engine facilities running throughout the sport’s August summer break, taking advantage of rules that exempt power unit manufacturers from the mandatory two-week factory shutdown imposed on teams.
While F1 teams and drivers leave for their enforced holiday between the Hungarian and Belgian Grands Prix, Honda and Renault are pressing on with development. The current sporting regulations require teams to close their factories for at least 14 consecutive days, but engine suppliers are not bound by the same rule. Their development is instead restricted by the power unit token system, which limits the scope of in-season upgrades but not the calendar.
Honda targets Spa upgrade
Honda, supplying McLaren, is pushing to recover ground after a difficult start to its return season. The company confirmed it will use the summer period to finalise an engine upgrade in time for the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps. According to Honda, the update is expected to deliver around 15 horsepower, a modest but meaningful gain for circuits like Spa and Monza where outright power is critical. The company denied reports that the improvement would be as much as 50 horsepower.
Honda’s engineering teams in Milton Keynes and Tochigi will remain at work throughout August. The manufacturer described its efforts as a “long chase” to close the gap to Mercedes, the benchmark in the current hybrid era. Honda intends to spend more of its available development tokens before the end of the season, as it seeks to address both performance and reliability issues that have hampered McLaren’s campaign.
Renault maintains development push
Renault, also trailing the leading power units, is expected to continue work at its Viry-Châtillon facility during the break. Like Honda, Renault has struggled for both power and reliability under the current regulations. The French manufacturer has not formally detailed its summer plans, but sources within the sport indicate that Renault will use the period to pursue further progress on its power unit, seeking to improve competitiveness for its customer teams.
Development rules and the path ahead
The token system, introduced to control costs and maintain competitive balance, means that even with factories open, Honda and Renault are limited in how much they can change during the season. Both manufacturers have tokens remaining for further upgrades, but catching Mercedes and Ferrari remains a substantial challenge. Former F1 driver Stefan Johansson has pointed out that teams who start the season behind can spend the year playing catch-up, with limited opportunities to close the gap under current rules.
The decision by Honda and Renault to keep working through the break highlights the pressure on F1’s engine suppliers to deliver rapid progress. For McLaren and Red Bull, any improvement in power unit performance could have a direct impact on results in the second half of the season.
