Aston Martin warned by Honda
Honda has issued a statement suggesting further pain for Aston Martin heading into the Japanese GP — the engine supplier is warning of continued reliability/performance issues that could hamper the team in Suzuka. That puts extra pressure on Aston Martin as rivals hunt any advantage. (gpfans.com)
Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s trackside general manager and chief engineer, said reliability has improved but “battery management” performance remains below expectations and warned Suzuka will be difficult for the package. (en.as.com) Aston Martin have yet to record a classified finish in 2026 after the opening two rounds and currently sit at the bottom of the Constructors’ standings. (gpfans.com) The Silverstone-based team completed just 334 laps across the two Bahrain pre-season test weeks — the lowest total of any team — after repeated power-unit interruptions disrupted running. (pitdebrief.com) Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll made race retirements linked to the Honda power unit this season, with Alonso reporting loss of feeling in his limbs from extreme vibrations during a race weekend. (independent.co.uk) Honda executives, including Koji Watanabe, have conceded a delayed start to development and a period of “inactivity” hurt the 2026 power-unit programme, forcing last-minute remedial work. (planetf1.com) Honda says engineers are working round the clock and have set a timeline to fix the issues, but multiple statements this month admit the current PU is “not good enough” on performance as well as reliability. (sportskeeda.com) Suzuka represents a homecoming for Honda and will increase scrutiny on progress this weekend; failure to resolve the battery/vibration problem risks further points-free rounds for Aston Martin. (f1i.com)
