What Engine Does Aston Martin Use in F1 Racing?

Until 2026, Aston Martin’s Formula 1 racing team will use vaunted Mercedes-Benz engines as their powerplants. That is, until Aston Martin develops their own engines, according to various sources. The move stems from a partnership between the luxury brands forged in 2021, bringing Aston Martin back to racing F1 for the first time in over six decades.

Part of that partnership includes sharing technology, giving Aston Martin engineers access to new engine designs for their race cars. Another aspect of the partnership is that Aston Martin intends to build a world-class wind tunnel to test their cars and engines. 

Gone are the days of pure ethanol powertrains in F1 cars. Now, they have hybrid engines. Aston Martin’s AMR21 car is powered by the Mercedes-AMG F1 M12 E Performance racing engine, a 1.6-liter V6 turbo-hybrid power unit as mandated by Formula One’s engine regulations. The engine is part of a stable of the most efficient Formula One powerplants ever constructed.

But those engines are about to change.

New Engine Regulations in 2026 Aim to Attract More Automakers

Engines for F1 cars are not cheap. A single engine alone costs $10.5 million to build. Researching a new engine? That puts a racing team out $1.4 billion, according to Forbes.

F1 realized they may have had an expensive problem on their hands. So, they changed the engine regulations for the 2026 racing season to try to entice more auto manufacturers to invest in racing teams. Audi, Porsche, and other manufacturers have shown interest now that engines will be cheaper to produce.

In the next three years, the partnership between Aston Martin and Mercedes will have borne more fruit, leading the British manufacturer’s chief to say that his company will have its own engine design in place for the 2026 racing season.

For enthusiasts of fast cars, the 2026 F1 season can’t get here fast enough. What’s better is that once Aston Martin develops its racing engine, that type of design typically filters down to street-legal vehicles. Currently, Aston Martin’s entire line is powered by Mercedes-Benz engines. At some point, the luxury carmaker will have its own engines after developing the F1 powerplant.

Test Drive a New Aston Martin in West Palm Beach Today

Do you want your own version of a race car in your Jupiter or Palm Beach Gardens garage? You’ve found one candidate in a new Aston Martin from Aston Martin Palm Beach. While you won’t find an Aston Martin with an F1 engine, you’ll find plenty of options that are nearly as fast and actually legal to drive! 

Contact us or call 561-835-5317 to schedule a test drive. In the meantime, apply for financing to jumpstart the car-buying process. And now that you know what engine Aston Martin uses for F1 racing, take a moment to read our guide on what the Aston Martin logo means!