Coulthard hits out at Aston Martin: “Vibrations? Just excuses to cover the problems”

Aston Martin is currently going through a particularly difficult period. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are not only struggling with the AMR26—a fragile car with several shortcomings—but also with the vibrations it produces, which are said to be causing significant discomfort for both drivers. For this reason, neither of them has yet managed to complete a race. The situation has sparked considerable debate, prompting several well-known former figures from the Formula 1 paddock to share their views. Among them is David Coulthard, who, speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, suggested that the vibrations may not actually be harming the drivers, but rather affecting the reliability of the car.

Coulthard’s strong opinion

“Let’s put things back into perspective, and I say this without knowing exactly what it feels like inside the car. But I’ve watched the footage, and I’ve seen flat spots on the tyres, wheel weights coming loose, and you can clearly notice the vibration through the steering wheel,” he explained, comparing the situation to other professions and suggesting that drivers might be ‘exaggerating’ the discomfort experienced in the cockpit. “Have you seen those guys working in construction with jackhammers, doing it all day, every day? We don’t hear them saying: ‘No, I’m not coming in. I won’t work today because using a jackhammer makes my hands sore.’”

“So is it a bit convenient to keep the spotlight on Honda? I suspect that the vibrations are more of a problem for reliability than for the driver,” he concluded.

While waiting to find out whether David Coulthard’s comments will prove to be accurate, Formula 1 is set to return to action this weekend at Suzuka, in Japan. Here is the full schedule details for the race weekend.

David Coulthard’s “tough love” approach highlights the growing skepticism regarding Aston Martin’s 2026 struggles. While driver safety is paramount, the comparison to manual labor suggests that some in the F1 community believe the AMR26’s flaws are being masked by a narrative of physical hardship. Based on the content of these latest paddock debates, the Japanese Grand Prix will be a defining moment for the team to prove whether their car can finally survive a full race distance.