Aston Martin and Honda have found a way to reduce vibrations from the power unit, preventing potential damage to the batteries. However, the first replacement parts will only arrive in Bahrain, meaning the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix will serve as another test weekend for the team.
A challenging start in Australia
Aston Martin was unable to finish the Australian GP, but the issue is not new. From the Barcelona shakedown at the end of January, it was clear that the Silverstone team was significantly behind in multiple areas. The AMR26 struggled with both performance and reliability, with the Honda power unit often seen as the culprit. Vibrations from the V6 engine had previously damaged batteries during the Sakhir testing, prompting Adrian Newey and Honda to work tirelessly to mitigate the problem ahead of Melbourne.
By addressing the issue, Aston Martin believed the AMR26 could complete more laps than originally expected – and indeed, they managed to do so. “After the tests, Honda and Aston Martin worked hard together to find a solution. We had staff working almost around the clock. In the end, we implemented countermeasures that were effective from the first day in Australia,” explained Honda’s Orihara.
“We saw good progress compared to the Bahrain tests. Then we implemented further countermeasures in the following days. During the race, we covered a lot of kilometers. In terms of vibrations, we’re confident the car could complete the full race. This is a major improvement and a key point for all of us,” he added.
A race-test approach in Australia
During the Australian GP, the team called both cars in for adjustments. The goal was not to aim for a Top 10 finish or even complete the race, but to collect data and run experiments. It was essentially a race-test, helping to identify issues and find solutions for the rest of the season.
Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll retired on lap 37 of 58. Component shortages, particularly batteries supplied by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), meant the team had to carefully manage the AMR26. Even for the upcoming China GP, the Silverstone cars will continue to face limited spare parts, including batteries.
“In the end, everyone knows we don’t have many components,” said team principal Mike Krack. “We had nothing to gain at that point in the race, so we decided to preserve the cars’ parts. It wasn’t a power unit problem. I don’t have a crystal ball, but we’re confident we could have finished the race without major issues.”
Looking ahead to back-to-back races
With only a week between the Australian and Chinese Grands Prix—the first back-to-back of the 2026 season—Aston Martin Racing will need to make the most of limited resources. “I think everyone is determined to change the situation and working hard. Compared to Thursday in Bahrain, we’re in a better position now. We’ve tried a few things and learned more about the car and chassis thanks to the laps we did in free practice and today with both cars during formation, the start, and the pit stop. These things probably seem routine to everyone,” said Fernando Alonso.
“We’d never been on track at 7 PM in Bahrain, so we hadn’t practiced formation or start procedures. These were valuable lessons, and we’ll definitely be better prepared in China,” he added.
“In China, I think it’s optimistic but possible to finish the race. We’ll still be short on spare parts. It’s only for one week, but by Bahrain we should have more batteries and replacement parts. In China, we’ll be able to take more risks on race day,” Fernando Alonso concluded.
Aston Martin is therefore treating the early rounds of the 2026 season as extended testing sessions, focusing on neutralizing the Honda PU vibrations and gathering data while they wait for a stable supply of spare parts to arrive for the Bahrain round.
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