Aston Martin seems to be taking an important step with the Honda engine after the summer break. Shintaro Orihara, general director and chief engineer of Honda, announced ahead of the Belgian GP that the manufacturer wants to introduce a renewed power unit over two races. This indicates that the update will make its debut during the Dutch GP at Zandvoort. Additionally, a comprehensive upgrade package for the car is expected during the Hungarian GP.
Read more ‘Max Verstappen and Ferrari are currently the best match’ | Formula 1 Paddock Talk
The timing is important for Aston Martin, which is experiencing a difficult season and so far only manages to stay ahead of newcomer Cadillac. The FIA has identified the Honda engine as the weakest within the ADUO regulation, giving the Japanese extra development space. Orihara emphasized that the upcoming races still need to provide valuable information before a long-awaited upgrade is introduced in Zandvoort.
“We have two more races before we introduce the new engine,” Orihara responded in an official press release from Aston Martin. “It is important to learn from the current specification so that we can take our findings on energy management into future races. Think, for example, of Monza, which also has long straights.” On such fast circuits, energy management is crucial. There is little opportunity to recharge the battery, so teams must distribute the available power down to the last detail.
Read more Valentino Rossi follows Max Verstappen’s example, aims to participate in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring
New challenge at Belgian GP
Honda does not expect a turnaround yet for the Belgian and Hungarian Grands Prix. According to Orihara, Spa-Francorchamps does form an important test for energy management. “We have to think carefully about how we deploy power on the long straights,” he emphasized. “The amount of energy you can recover is quite limited, despite the length of the circuit. That puts extra emphasis on a good energy plan. The long straights also place high demands on the power unit, not only in terms of performance but also reliability.”
The Honda package has already struggled with reliability issues in recent Grands Prix. In the early part of the season, this was mainly due to persistent vibrations in the powertrain. In Great Britain, both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll finished the race. It was only the second time this season that both drivers completed a GP. In the Ardennes, there may be an additional challenge, as a lot of rain is forecast. “An extra unknown factor is the changing weather conditions on the circuit,” Orihara confirmed. “It stayed dry at Silverstone, so Spa could very well be the first time we experience truly wet conditions during a session. Anything can happen weather-wise here.”
Read more Sergio Pérez airs dirty laundry: ‘Horner would have liked to race only with Max Verstappen’
Read everything about the Belgian GP here
