Honda engineer Shintaro Orihara: “Finishing the race with Fernando Alonso is a step forward”. Honda engineer Shintaro Orihara highlights the progress made with Alonso .

Aston Martin struggles continue

While other teams are using the Formula 1 spring break to focus on performance upgrades, Aston Martin seems to be running a championship of its own. The Silverstone team is still far behind and is forced to set “minimal” goals. Completing a Grand Prix for the first time in 2026—with only Fernando Alonso finishing—is considered a step forward, even if it does little to create a celebratory mood ahead of Miami. The team is fully aware that the problems are numerous, mainly related to an unreliable and underpowered Honda power unit, and are unlikely to be solved in the short term.

Honda’s hard work

The Japanese manufacturer knows that a huge effort is needed to recover the clear gap in power, reliability, and energy management compared to the competition. Honda’s chief engineer, Shintaro Orihara, is fully aware of the challenge but has a clear plan for the next steps at Sakura.

Orihara’s comments

“We completed the full race distance, which is a good step forward in terms of reliability. We are giving our all to improve battery efficiency. At our Sakura facility, we are working hard to enhance engine performance and are fully committed to assessing and optimizing energy management,” Shintaro Orihara said at Suzuka.

“We also need to develop the engine’s mechanical performance, and this will not be a short-term task,” he added. “We will continue working hard, improving performance in the background. However, we collected a lot of data during the race, which has helped us improve drivability and energy management. These insights will be very useful as we look ahead to Miami.”

The partnership between Aston Martin and Honda is currently in a survival phase, prioritizing reliability over outright speed. While finishing the race in Japan provides a small morale boost and vital telemetry, Shintaro Orihara’s candid remarks suggest that fans should expect a long, methodical recovery rather than an overnight transformation. As the 2026 season moves toward the North American rounds, the data gathered at Suzuka will be the foundation upon which Honda hopes to rebuild its reputation for technical excellence. For now, the focus remains on the “background” work at Sakura to ensure that the AMR26 can eventually fight for more than just a checkered flag.