The Miami Grand Prix brought Aston Martin a small step forward in terms of reliability, but it also confirmed a worrying stagnation in the performance of the AMR26. Although the team managed to bring both cars to the finish for the first time this season, the gap to the teams fighting for points remains significant, and the road back to competitiveness still appears long and challenging.
Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finished a lap down, battling with Sergio Perez’s Cadillac for fifteenth position, which was eventually secured by the Spanish driver.
Looking ahead, there are no signs of major improvements on the horizon. While direct rivals continue to introduce upgrade packages, the Silverstone-based team appears locked into a phase of study and consolidation. The Florida weekend, where no new parts were introduced, highlighted how the resolution of the car’s fundamental issues is proving slower than expected, forcing the drivers into a more conservative approach while waiting for meaningful developments that are not expected in the short term.
Alonso unusually blunt: “We have to manage everyone’s frustration level”
The weekend left Fernando Alonso visibly disappointed, with the Spaniard appearing resigned to a difficult season at least until the summer break. He lowered expectations ahead of upcoming races:
“We will have no aerodynamic updates until after the summer, so we have to manage everyone’s frustration level within the team,” said the two-time world champion candidly. “What we expect in Canada or Austria will be the same; it will become repetitive to face the media every weekend and repeat the same message.”
Beyond the chronic lack of performance, Alonso is also concerned about emerging technical issues with the Honda power unit. While the long-standing vibration problem has been reduced, the transmission began showing anomalies between the walls of the Miami circuit.
“Honestly, throughout the weekend the issue was more the gearbox than the engine. The electronics were very strange on downshifts and in high gears, it wasn’t well controlled,” Alonso explained. “This is the number one priority to fix for Canada, where with heavy braking zones we will need perfect gearbox behaviour.”
The positive note: vibration issues significantly reduced
One of the central themes of the Miami weekend was the behaviour of the Honda power unit, which has been under intensive refinement work to solve early-season weaknesses. Track operations director Mike Krack highlighted the progress made:
“Our main objective was to work with Honda to reduce PU vibrations within the chassis; that work has paid off and we have made a significant step forward in terms of reliability.”
Lance Stroll also confirmed the improved feeling inside the AMR26:
“We had fewer vibrations this weekend and that allowed us to complete valuable mileage,” said the Canadian driver. “But there is still a lot to do to unlock the potential of the package.”
Technical evolution and problem management: Krack defends Aston Martin’s approach
Despite growing scepticism surrounding the lack of aerodynamic updates, Mike Krack emphasised the speed at which Aston Martin has responded to structural issues:
“The speed with which we solved extraordinary problems has been exceptional.”
The Luxembourg engineer also addressed criticism regarding the development strategy:
“There is a line of work that must be followed; our job is to extract the maximum from what we have, improving drivability and energy management.”
The Miami weekend was therefore seen as a crucial laboratory for gathering data in extreme heat conditions, especially during the first two days of running. Krack underlined the importance of this data collection:
“Now we can analyse power management and tyre behaviour in such hot conditions.”
According to Krack, this work is essential to compensate for the initial mileage deficit accumulated since winter testing:
“These key elements will allow us to refine the technical package for the upcoming races, keeping the entire team motivated for the next development phase. We can be confident that we will achieve further improvements in drivability and energy management.”
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