Aston Martin F1 crisis laid bare as Martin Brundle puts alarming timeline on 'horror show'

When someone is described as being in 'a league of their own', it's usually taken as a compliment. For the Aston Martin F1 team in 2026 however, it holds the complete opposite meaning.

Aston Martin's ambitions were clear. Discontent with pootling along as midfield players, the 2026 regulation reset was the time for their iconic motoring marque to finally join the competitive mix, comprised of road car contemporaries Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren.

Hiring Adrian Newey was a statement of intent, as too was their exclusive engine partnership with Honda who brought championship success to Red Bull from 2021 until 2024.

But far from rising into the upper echelons of the F1 grid, Aston Martin's fortunes have plummeted further than anyone would have ever expected. Not only are they racing in their own far inferior championship - being three-to-four seconds off the pace - but also the vibrations emitting from their Honda power unit are a concern. And entirely unpredictable.

On the Friday at the Japanese Grand Prix, it appeared a positive step had been taken with Fernando Alonso suffering little to no vibrations. However, on Saturday he revealed they had returned, despite the fact the team didn't make any changes.

While the Spaniard managed to complete the full race distance on the Sunday, a feat that had previously eluded Aston Martin in the previous two rounds, question marks remain over the vibrations. Not only over how to fix them, but unearthing where the vibrations emerged from in the first place.

READ MORE: Button provides firm answer to Brundle Sky Sports F1 replacement rumours

F1 pundits believe Aston Martin recovery will take time

The consensus is that, from F1 pundits to Aston Martin-Honda themselves, recovery is a long and onerous path for the team in racing green.

Writing in his column for Sky Sports, former driver and pundit Martin Brundle explained what he thinks Honda must do before they see any progress at Aston Martin.

He wrote: "They've got to get the right people in at Honda, get the right direction. It's not going to improve until 2027. It's a horror show, and we're just going to have to observe that pain.

"Of course, they will improve it to an extent, but they're missing three, four seconds sometimes per lap. I mean, that's like a different category they're in at the moment to the front runners. So, watch this space, but it'll be a while."

Palmer also warns Aston Martin

Honda are the most likely manufacturer to receive ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities), to help with their pace deficit in the next few rounds.

During an appearance on the F1 Nation podcast however, pundit Jolyon Palmer was less convinced ADUO would be a magic fix for Honda's problems and called for deeper introspection into their issues.

He said: "So ADUO or not, Honda have got to understand exactly what is going on before they can even think about bringing performance upgrades and genuine fixes."

It appears there is much to be done at Aston Martin before they become points contenders again, let alone title challengers.

READ MORE: Brundle reveals Sky Sports F1 plans after absence: 'Utter clickbait nonsense Margaret'

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