Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Aston Martin team principal Adrian Newey has confirmed the team will hold discussions with the FIA to secure a starting position for Lance Stroll at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix despite the Canadian failing to take part in qualifying at Albert Park Circuit.
Stroll was unable to set a lap time on Saturday after a problem with the internal combustion engine (ICE) of the Honda power unit prevented him from running in both FP3 and qualifying.
Under Formula 1 sporting regulations, drivers who fail to set a qualifying time must receive special permission from the FIA stewards in order to start the race.
The situation adds to a difficult weekend for the Aston Martin driver, who has completed very limited mileage in Melbourne. Stroll missed most of the opening practice session but was able to complete some laps during FP2. Across the weekend so far, he has managed only 16 laps.
Newey previously revealed that the severe vibration affecting the AMR26 is creating serious concerns for both drivers. The vibrations are linked to the Honda power unit and could potentially cause nerve damage in the drivers’ hands if they remain in the car for extended periods.
According to the team, Stroll believes he may only be able to complete around 15 consecutive laps under the current conditions.
Despite the reliability challenges, Aston Martin remains encouraged by the performance potential shown by team-mate Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard completed several important laps during the final practice session, providing valuable data ahead of qualifying.
“Another very busy day in Melbourne as we continue to make progress with the AMR26 working with our technical partner Honda,” said Newey.
“Fernando was able to run important laps in final practice, giving us valuable data and information heading into qualifying.”
Alonso ultimately qualified in 17th place, narrowly missing out on a place in Q2, which highlighted the work still required to improve the car’s performance.
Newey also outlined the issues that prevented Stroll from participating in qualifying.
“Lance was unlucky today with an ICE issue keeping his car in the garage during practice,” he explained.
“After those issues were resolved, there was not enough time to rebuild the car and take part in qualifying.”
Despite the setback, Newey insisted the AMR26 has the pace to compete if reliability concerns can be addressed.
“It is clear the AMR26 has the pace to compete, so we will discuss with the FIA tonight our options for running Lance tomorrow.”
The final decision from the FIA will determine whether Stroll is allowed to join the grid for the season-opening race of the 2026 Formula 1 championship in Melbourne.
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