The break between races has not brought answers, only more work. In Sakura, the lights have never gone off as Aston Martin and Honda attempt to rebuild a season that began on the wrong foot. Between upgrades, changing regulations, and a sprint weekend that leaves no room for error, one question remains open: how much is enough to reverse a direction that already looks set?
An opening phase that weighs more than the results
Aston Martin arrives in Miami carrying a burden made not of points, but of unanswered questions. The start to the season has been disastrous, and the only real sign of progress came in the most recent race: Fernando Alonso finishing eighteenth out of twenty classified drivers. It is very little—almost nothing—but still a small foothold in an otherwise difficult campaign. Meanwhile, the calendar break has offered no real relief.
“As you know, the Bahrain Grand Prix and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix were postponed,” recalled Shintaro Orihara, Honda Racing Corporation’s General Manager of On-Track Operations.
“But that does not mean the work stopped.”
And in fact, it did not stop at all.
The silent work at Sakura
After Suzuka, the heart of the project shifted to Sakura, around three hours from Tokyo.
“After the Japanese Grand Prix, members of the Aston Martin team and Honda Racing Corporation worked together at the HRC Research and Development Centre in Sakura,” Orihara explained.
That is where all the focus went: upgrades prepared during the break, countermeasures refined, and an engine that needed to become more reliable under pressure.
“We worked non-stop to improve our countermeasures, and the work will continue as we approach the next F1 race in Miami,” he added.
It paints a clear picture: engineers locked inside a development facility while the season outside moves faster than the improvements being made inside.
A weekend that will offer no breathing space
Miami is not a normal race weekend. It is a sprint format event: only one free practice session before everything becomes immediately decisive. On top of that, teams must also adapt to regulatory changes introduced during the break, leaving no margin for error. Aston Martin and Honda are fully aware that every minute will count and every decision will carry weight.
“We know it will take time, but we will continue working hard together,” Orihara concluded.
The break may not have solved the problems, but it has forced them into clear view. Aston Martin and Honda will arrive in Miami after an intense period of behind-the-scenes development and with a simple understanding: the road ahead is long, but they can no longer afford to slow down.
The hiatus didn’t solve the underlying problems, but it did allow the team to look them squarely in the face. Aston Martin and Honda will arrive in Miami backed by an enormous amount of behind-the-scenes work and a simple realization: the road is long, and they can no longer afford to slow down. As the 2026 season enters this crucial American phase, the synergy between the Silverstone-based team and their Japanese engine partners will be put to the ultimate test under the Florida sun.
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