Aston Martin’s ambitions are clashing with the shortcomings of the power unit and severe vibration issues, which are causing both reliability and drivability problems. To accelerate development, after the Japanese Grand Prix one of the two AMR26 cars remained at Honda’s Sakura facility for in-depth dyno testing, as the team searches for countermeasures starting from Miami.
Before the start of the season, expectations were high and the goal was clear: try to dream big. But even before hitting the track, those ambitions had to face a much harsher reality, marked by Honda’s limitations and, shortly afterwards, by the need to also intervene on the chassis side. A situation made even more complex by the fact that the AMR26 has accumulated very little track time compared to its rivals.
The Japanese manufacturer is working hard to correct a situation that currently sees it with the least competitive engine on the grid, both in terms of power and reliability. This is further complicated by a reorganisation of the working group following the success achieved with Red Bull. Vibration issues have been present since winter testing, significantly limiting mileage and slowing down the entire development process.
From Bahrain testing to Suzuka, Honda has continued development work together with Aston Martin, because this is not just about the power unit but the overall package. Japanese engineers have repeatedly explained that the engine vibrations do not originate solely from the PU itself, but are amplified by the chassis, which effectively acts as a resonance chamber. It is therefore no surprise that, in the meantime, Andy Cowell has been moved from his TP role to act as a bridge between Silverstone and Sakura.
The vibrations are so severe that they not only damage the battery, but also make it difficult for drivers to complete full race distances. In China, Fernando Alonso was even forced to retire due to numbness in his limbs. In Suzuka, the first corrective measures were introduced and the Spaniard was finally able to finish the race. A step forward, but the road to recovery is still long.
After Suzuka, one AMR26 stayed in Japan
For this reason, after the home race, Honda took advantage of the forced break and geographical proximity to organise a different kind of programme. After the Grand Prix, one of the AMR26 cars did not immediately return to Silverstone, Aston Martin’s base, but instead remained at the Sakura factory for more extensive dyno testing.
At the start of the season, Honda engineers already had a complete monocoque at Sakura, used for dyno testing. This is essential to replicate track conditions without physically running on circuit, and it also allowed collaboration with Aston Martin engineers who had been sent on site.
However, having the opportunity to work directly on one of the two AMR26 cars represents a valuable chance: it allows the vibration phenomenon to be studied under more realistic conditions and enables the development of more targeted countermeasures to try to contain it.
“It has been a long but intense period between races, with a lot of work carried out in collaboration with Aston Martin F1 both in Japan and in the United Kingdom. The Japanese Grand Prix showed that the work is heading in the right direction and gave us the motivation to keep pushing,” explained Shintaro Orihara, General Manager trackside for the Honda F1 project.
“After that race, we took the opportunity to keep one of the AMR26 cars on site for additional static testing in Sakura, for the first time, focusing our efforts on reducing vibrations and therefore improving reliability.”
Further updates already planned for Miami, drivability also a focus
According to Honda, further improvements are expected already in Miami, most likely related more to the integration between engine and chassis than to the power unit itself. On that front, physical modifications are still very limited, and more significant changes will only be possible once the ADUO system comes into play.
“We have made progress that will allow us to introduce further countermeasures in Miami and later in the season. Realistically, these steps will not have a visible impact on power unit performance on track. It is mainly about finding the right setup compromise.”
In terms of performance targets, beyond unlocking additional power—which will only be possible through hardware changes once ADUO arrives—there is still significant room for improvement on the software side, where parameters allow more flexibility. However, it must be remembered that from a certain point in the season onwards, even software updates will be restricted, meaning every intervention must be carefully planned.
Drivability has also been a major talking point, with drivers criticising not only certain characteristics of the AMR26 chassis—which lacks aerodynamic load in high-speed sections compared to rivals—but also the behaviour of the power unit itself.
“The objective is to improve drivability in low-speed sectors, and optimising energy management in this part of the circuit is a key factor in maximising performance.”
With Bahrain and Saudi Arabia—both hot races despite being run at night—already behind them, the Miami Grand Prix will be the first true heat test for the power units in extreme temperatures. During pre-season testing in Sakhir, when running also took place during the day, the AMR26 showed multiple openings dedicated to heat dissipation, something Orihara himself highlighted in his analysis.
“Miami will also be the first hot weekend of the season, so it will be crucial to keep power unit temperatures under control with the new regulations. The Miami Grand Prix is a Sprint weekend, which means we will only have one free practice session to optimise all parameters under the new rules and define the best cooling specifications ahead of Sprint qualifying, making FP1 particularly important.”
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