Honda believes the new Madrid Grand Prix circuit should be better suited to Aston Martin’s package as the Japanese manufacturer prepares for the third race with its updated Spec 2 power unit. Chief Engineer Shintaro Orihara is approaching Fernando Alonso’s home Grand Prix with optimism, with driveability and energy management set to be two of Honda’s main priorities at Madring.
Honda Spec 2 power unit enters its third Grand Prix weekend
Honda introduced its new Spec 2 power unit at the Dutch Grand Prix, raising expectations within Aston Martin as the team looked to recover some competitiveness, reliability and championship points after an extremely difficult first half of the season.
The update delivered an encouraging start at Zandvoort, where Fernando Alonso secured his best result of the season by finishing ninth. The Spaniard also produced a performance worthy of a two-time World Champion to bring home valuable points, although the optimism did not last long.
Aston Martin and Honda have spent much of 2026 trying to address performance and reliability limitations, with the difficult start to their partnership even raising questions over Aston Martin’s longer-term Formula 1 engine options if the problems could not be resolved.
Aston Martin suffers double retirement at Monza
At Monza, neither Aston Martin reached the chequered flag. Fernando Alonso was forced to retire because of damage to his car, while Lance Stroll, who had already retired at Zandvoort, parked his AMR26 with a hydraulic problem.
After two very different weekends with Honda’s Spec 2 power unit, attention now turns to the Spanish Grand Prix, which will be held on the new Madrid circuit for the first time in Formula 1 history.
The weekend offers Aston Martin another opportunity to recover points in a difficult campaign, with the team still trying to improve its position as the 2026 Formula 1 season moves into its final phase.
Honda believes Madrid will suit Aston Martin package better
The new venue represents an unknown challenge for every team and driver, but Honda Chief Engineer Shintaro Orihara is approaching Fernando Alonso’s home event with a degree of optimism.
“It’s our first time at MADRING; it is a track with mixed characteristics, combining a street circuit with a permanent facility,” Shintaro Orihara said. “As always, driveability will be an important factor.”
Honda now has two race weekends of experience with its latest power unit specification, giving its engineers a broader range of information to work with as they prepare for Madrid.
“We have completed two races since introducing the Spec 2 power unit — races characterised by different aspects — and we will make use of that experience in Madrid this week, focusing particularly on driveability and energy management.”
Driveability and energy management become Honda priorities in Madrid
The hybrid characteristics of the 2026 Formula 1 power units have made energy deployment and driveability particularly important areas of performance. With Madring combining different types of corners and sections, Honda believes the new venue should offer a more favourable environment for the Aston Martin package than the high-speed demands encountered at Monza.
“Overall, we believe Madrid will suit our package better and we will work hard throughout the weekend to put ourselves in the best possible position with the resources available to us,” Shintaro Orihara concluded.
Madrid is the next stop on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, and the completely new circuit will give Aston Martin and Honda another important opportunity to assess how much progress the Spec 2 power unit has made across contrasting track characteristics.
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