The first race weekend in Australia promises to be a new low for the Aston Martin team. On the media day in Melbourne, team principal Adrian Newey already exposed major problems; vibrations in the new Honda powertrain mean the AMR26 can drive a maximum of 25 laps, for fear of ‘nerve damage’ to the drivers. Consequently, Aston Martin saw limited action in the free practice sessions. During the FIA press conference, Newey clarified the gravity of the situation.
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“We have ongoing problems with the battery,” Newey said in the press room in Melbourne. “A new problem has arisen in the internal communication between the battery and the management system. But the much deeper underlying problem is the vibrations we continue to struggle with.” The results of the first free practice sessions were telling: in FP1, Stroll had to concede thirty seconds to the rest of the field, while Alonso did not see any action at all. Both drivers participated in FP2, although they finished at the very bottom.
Asked about how the rest of the weekend looks, Newey explained how dire the situation is. “To be honest, it’s just a matter of managing the problem. We have a shortage of batteries. We only have two left – the two that are in the cars – so if we lose one, that is obviously a big problem. So we have to be very careful with how we deploy them. Originally we had four batteries with us, but due to that communication problem, we only have two operational batteries left. Given the extent to which they are being damaged, it’s quite worrying,” he emphasized. “Of course, we hope to get through the weekend and have two cars on the starting grid, but at this moment it’s difficult to make concrete statements about that.”
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Aston Martin powerless
Newey was asked if the team could still fly in spare parts from Japan. “Unfortunately not,” he admitted disappointedly. “They simply aren’t there.” Due to the lack of data, the team also gets no further opportunities to experiment with the rest of the package. “We feel a bit powerless; we clearly have a significant problem in the powertrain,” he concluded. “And because of the lack of track time, we are learning very little about the car.”
The Aston Martin team principal is apprehensive about the first qualifying of the year. “We have driven very little, especially with low fuel levels. Fuel acts as a kind of damper for the battery, so Honda has mainly had us drive with a full tank. That way, the problem naturally perpetuates itself,” Newey sighed. “It just costs us a lot of energy and manpower to come to the best overall solution together with Honda.” The Englishman concluded with the message that he does not want to place the blame solely on the engine supplier. “We can say it’s not our problem, but it is. Ultimately, the car is the combination of the chassis and the powertrain.”
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