Aston Martin working 'around the clock' as Honda issue update from Sakura

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Aston Martin

Aston Martin working 'around the clock' as Honda issue update from Sakura

Honda have issued an update

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Wednesday 22 April 2026 12:56

Honda have issued an update to Aston Martin F1 fans about how the power unit manufacturer are trying to eradicate their issues.

Aston Martin have had a disastrous start to 2026, with their cars both failing to finish the first two grands prix of the season due to reliability issues.

Lance Stroll also DNF'd at the third grand prix of the season in Japan, although two-time world champion Fernando Alonso managed to at least finish the race, limping home in 18th.

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It's still a long way shy of where the team wanted to be amid the new regulation changes, however, starting an exciting power unit partnership with Honda and having hired design legend Adrian Newey.

Newey's car design is understood not to be perfect either, but the majority of the team's issues do originate from the power unit.

Honda are struggling with power output and reliability in their new 2026 power unit, and it has also been causing intense vibrations for Alonso and Stroll in their AMR26 cars.

Now, the power unit manufacturer have taken to X to issue an update to fans, with trackside general manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara revealing the work that has been going on behind the scenes ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.

"After the Japanese Grand Prix, Aston Martin Aramco F1 team members and the Honda Racing Corporation have been working together at HRC Research and Development Centre in Sakura," Orihara said.

"We have been working around the clock to enhance our countermeasures and the work will keep continuing as we approach the next F1 race in Miami.

"We know that things will take time, but we will keep working together hard."

Can Aston Martin become a points-scoring team?

The upcoming Miami GP is set to see a complete reset following a five-week break from the sport caused by the cancellations of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix.

The FIA have announced some changes to the regulations ahead of that race, while F1 legend Martin Brundle has described it as 'one of the biggest relaunches in the history of Formula 1'.

Whether or not they have had enough time to solve all of their problems will be evident within the first practice session in Miami on Friday May 1.

Even when they have been able to finish sessions this year, Aston Martin have been right at the bottom of the timesheets, even behind the new Cadillac outfit in Japanese GP qualifying.

The Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) period coming up after the Monaco Grand Prix weekend could give Aston Martin a great chance to catch up to their rivals, with it being a safety net put in place at the start of the season by the FIA to help struggling power unit manufacturers like Honda.

But fighting for world championship points looks to be a stretch for Aston Martin in 2026.

READ MORE: Newey Aston Martin regret revealed

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