Engine supplier Honda has confirmed that the measures to resolve the power unit vibrations will be introduced at the earliest during the Japanese GP. This means that Aston Martin faces another tough ordeal during the upcoming sprint weekend in China. During the opening race in Australia, drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll already encountered serious problems.
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Team principal Adrian Newey had already exposed the problems prior to the season: he warned that the vibrations not only affect the chassis and reliability, but could even lead to nerve damage for the driver via the steering wheel. During the weekend, the severity of the situation truly came to light; due to the problems in the Honda power unit, Lance Stroll skipped the third free practice and qualifying. In the race, he also had to make lengthy pit stops to keep the AMR26 alive; eventually, he crossed the finish line with a gap of no less than 15 laps. Teammate Fernando Alonso did not reach the finish; he retired after 21 laps.
New setback in China
Koji Watanabe, president of Honda’s racing division, emphasizes that the issue must be resolved before Honda’s home race in Japan. The upcoming Chinese GP therefore promises to be another disappointment for Aston Martin. “At this moment, we have not yet decided what to do,” Watanabe admitted to the Japanese media. “It is clear that we must first implement thorough measures for Suzuka. We must ensure that the team can use the engine without problems.”
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“In Sakura (Honda’s engine facility, ed.) work is being done day and night to achieve this, but at the same time, I think it is also important that we further strengthen the collaboration with Silverstone (Aston Martin’s headquarters, ed.). I take my responsibility in that,” said the Japanese. “In principle, we have strengthened our workforce enough, but following this race, we must think about how we can work together even better.” He added: “We must accelerate development, and that doesn’t just mean increasing the power of the powertrain. It’s about how we develop and accelerate it together with the car. We want to work together as one team.”
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