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Honda 'don't know' if Aston Martin F1 issue can be fixed

Kerry Violet Sunday 1 March 2026 21:12

Photo: © IMAGO

Aston Martin's F1 works partner Honda have admitted they aren't sure of the root cause of the problem they encountered in pre-season testing.

Adrian Newey's new F1 team had a disaster start to 2026, arriving late to January's Barcelona shakedown and then continuously encountering issues with their new Honda power unit during February's pre-season testing.

Their issues were compounded on the penultimate day of testing in Bahrain last month when two-time champion Fernando Alonso had to abandon his new AMR26 on the track after experiencing an issue.

It later became clear that the Spaniard's testing woes had come about due to a battery issue within the Honda power unit, with the Japanese manufacturer later releasing a grim statement that restricted Lance Stroll's final day of testing.

The Canadian driver was told to call it a day with over two hours still remaining on the clock in Bahrain, after Honda had revealed the extent of their battery issues and a shortage of parts.

And speaking at an annual pre-season briefing in front of Japanese media, Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe and Chief Operating Officer Ikuo Takeishi have admitted that Aston Martin's F1 works partner in fact suffered from a 'number of issues' during testing.

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Honda against the clock to remedy Aston Martin problems

Having identified 'abnormal vibrations' that were believed to have been the cause of the battery damage during pre-season testing, Honda's leaders went on to admit that they weren't confident whether the battery system itself was actually the problem or not.

As a result, Honda have been busy investigating a multitude of potential causes, with research taking place at their Sakura base to try and determine the root of the problem.

But with just one week until the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Honda's statements surrounding their growing concerns don't paint a very positive picture for Aston Martin's F1 2026 campaign.

Speaking at the event, Takeishi implied that Honda weren't even sure whether they could find the root cause of the battery issue that plagued their pre-season testing, let alone remedy it.

"If we could identify a single cause, it would be easier to fix, but because multiple linked factors generate the vibration, we don't know whether fixing just one will solve it," he said.

"There is a possibility it takes time...at this stage, our priority is to solve the current issue. We are looking ahead, but right now we're fully focused on the immediate problems.

"Whether we introduce a major update or not is something to be discussed later."

Watanabe added: "The wall we face as a result of these tests is certainly a high one," something that team boss Newey will be acutely aware of as countdown clock ticks on ahead of the first round of the sport's new era.