Aston Martin’s Honda-powered partnership is shifting focus to performance improvements ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. The team aims to enhance driveability and energy management following reliability gains seen in Miami.
Honda trackside general manager Shintaro Orihara outlined the plan in a preview on Tuesday. The priority in Montreal is to build driver confidence by improving corner entry speeds and overall lap times, especially for home racer Lance Stroll.
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Following severe vibration issues in pre-season testing that damaged the hybrid battery, Aston Martin will attempt limited participation in the Australian Grand Prix with its new Honda power unit. The team aims to qualify, gather data on countermeasures, and preserve parts, despite multiple engine failures and a parts shortage.
Aston Martin drivers completed both the sprint and the main race at the Miami Grand Prix for the first time this season after fixes addressed vibration issues in the Honda power unit. The team had struggled with reliability problems earlier in the year but showed clear improvement in Florida. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll both finished the weekend without major incidents.
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Honda has brought hardware changes to the Miami Grand Prix to address excessive engine vibrations plaguing Aston Martin's dismal start to the 2026 F1 season. The team sits bottom of the championship after three races, with no points scored. Officials express confidence in the updates ahead of this weekend's event.
Fernando Alonso reported nearly no vibrations from his Aston Martin Honda engine during Friday practice at the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, marking an 80% improvement. However, the issue reemerged unchanged on Saturday, limiting the team's performance in qualifying. Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll will start 21st and 22nd on the grid.
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Honda has revealed that excessive vibrations from its V6 combustion engine damaged the battery system during pre-season testing with Aston Martin, forcing an early stop to sessions. The problems, deemed dangerous and extremely challenging, severely limited the team's mileage compared to rivals. Honda is investigating countermeasures ahead of the 2026 season opener in Australia.
Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll encountered technical difficulties during the Australian Grand Prix, the season's opening race, but both drivers expressed optimism about future improvements. Alonso praised his strong start from 17th on the grid before retiring twice due to car issues, while Stroll completed 43 laps after missing practice and qualifying sessions. The team focused on gathering data to address problems ahead of the next race in China.
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Lance Stroll described his battle with teammate Fernando Alonso at the Japanese Grand Prix as their own 'Aston Martin championship' amid the team's poor start to the 2026 Formula 1 season. Aston Martin sits bottom of the standings after three races, plagued by Honda power unit vibrations and other issues. Stroll retired early, while Alonso finished for the first time this year.