Alonso Relieved After Aston Martin Solves Honda Issue

Fernando Alonso has expressed relief after Aston Martin finally resolved the severe vibration issues linked to its Honda power unit. The problem had affected the team since the opening round of the 2026 Formula 1 season in Australia.

Throughout the early races of the season, Aston Martin struggled with extreme vibrations generated by the Honda engine package, impacting both driver comfort and overall car performance. Team principal Adrian Newey previously revealed that Alonso and Lance Stroll were even at risk of suffering permanent nerve damage because of the severity of the cockpit vibrations.

To address the issue, Aston Martin kept one chassis in Japan after the Suzuka Grand Prix and carried out extensive testing at Honda’s Sakura facility before the Miami weekend. The programme focused on reproducing the vibrations seen on track while developing direct technical countermeasures together with Honda engineers.

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According to Alonso, the tests finally provided confirmation that the root cause had been identified and successfully corrected. The Spanish driver believes the consistency between simulator data, Sakura testing, and real track conditions was crucial in restoring confidence within the team.

“Gone, I would say gone,” Alonso told media including RacingNews365 regarding the vibration issue.

“As long as you do not understand the problems and you do not solve them one by one, it is very difficult to have confidence in the next development steps.”

Alonso also described the validation of Sakura data during the Miami weekend as an important breakthrough after Aston Martin’s difficult start to the campaign. The team now feels more stable because the vibration characteristics that previously appeared unpredictable can finally be controlled consistently.

“It was a relief to see that the vibrations we measured in Sakura were confirmed on track. But obviously we are racing, so when we come to a race weekend and see the situation remains the same for the next few months, we have to stay calm together,” Alonso added.

Aston Martin also decided not to introduce major performance upgrades in Miami. Alonso explained that the decision had already been planned before the season started because the team believed small gains would not significantly change its current competitiveness.

According to Alonso, Aston Martin’s priority is not simply finding a few tenths of lap time, but first ensuring the package is reliable and stable while also managing the team’s long-term cost cap strategy.

“That was always the plan. With the reliability issues and the performance limitations we have, there is no point bringing two or three tenths because we are still one second behind the cars in front.”

Alonso’s comments underline Aston Martin’s growing focus on building a stronger long-term technical foundation with Honda rather than pursuing short-term solutions. With Formula 1’s next engine regulation cycle approaching, the stability of the partnership between Aston Martin and Honda is expected to become increasingly important for the team’s future direction.