Lance Stroll has delivered a stark assessment of Aston Martin’s biggest weakness in 2026, claiming the Honda power unit is costing the team between one and two seconds depending on the circuit. The Canadian identified the engine as the major question mark facing Aston Martin despite progress made with the car itself.
Without putting too fine a point on it, Adrian Newey’s Aston Martin-Honda project has been one of the biggest disappointments of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Even the B-specification version of the car has failed to significantly reverse the team’s fortunes, while developments introduced by Honda have also not produced the desired recovery despite the additional development assistance granted by the FIA through the creation of a dedicated ADUO category.
Aston Martin continues long search for competitiveness
The hope for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, both recently confirmed for the future, is that 2027 will allow Aston Martin to return to fighting for more meaningful results rather than the occasional points finishes that have characterised 2026.
The Malaysian weekend was nevertheless positive when viewed against the broader trend of Aston Martin’s season, during which the team has largely been fighting near the back alongside Cadillac.
Honda’s power-unit development has remained a major technical issue throughout the year. GP-News has previously detailed how Honda’s latest Aston Martin development focused on turbo response, with further performance still believed to be available from the package.
Lance Stroll says Honda costs Aston Martin around two seconds
Speaking at Sepang on Thursday, Lance Stroll was particularly critical when discussing Honda’s current performance and made clear that, in his view, the power unit remains the biggest uncertainty in Aston Martin’s development programme.
“We have a plan and a good direction for improving the car. We know what to do to increase downforce and everything else. But the big question mark is the engine. We’re missing around two seconds from the engine, so it’s difficult.”
Lance Stroll then pointed towards recent circuits where the power deficit had been particularly costly.
“At circuits like Baku and Monza, when you’re losing two seconds from the engine, there isn’t much you can do. We made a big step forward with the car in Budapest, but every weekend we’re missing one or two seconds, depending on the tracks. At the moment, that’s our weak point,” Lance Stroll admitted.
The comments underline the scale of the challenge facing Aston Martin and Honda. While Lance Stroll believes the team understands the direction required to improve the chassis and generate more downforce, the Canadian sees power-unit performance as the key limitation that still needs to be addressed before Aston Martin can make a substantial step forward.
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