Fernando Alonso Questions Honda After Aston Martin F1 Australia Issues

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Fernando Alonso has raised concerns over engine supplier Honda after Aston Martin endured a difficult opening day at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. The two-time world champion said he is ready to race but questioned whether Honda has enough components available for the remainder of the weekend.

Alonso was unable to participate in FP1 at Albert Park due to a power unit issue on his AMR26, while team-mate Lance Stroll completed only three laps during the session amid additional concerns with the car.

The second practice session was slightly more productive, with both drivers completing a combined total of 31 laps. However, Alonso remained around five seconds off the pace, while Stroll was approximately six seconds slower than the session’s fastest time.

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Stroll also finished only a few tenths outside the 107 percent threshold that will be required to qualify for Saturday’s session, highlighting the scale of the challenge currently facing the Silverstone-based team.

Team principal Adrian Newey confirmed earlier in the day that the team had already used two battery packs during the opening sessions. Aston Martin now has only two remaining for the rest of the weekend, a situation he described as “scary”.

Reflecting on the first day of running, Alonso admitted the car did not feel significantly different compared with pre-season testing.

“Obviously, we are still analysing the data of FP1.”

“It didn't feel much different, to be honest, than in Bahrain, and we didn't complete too many laps because of the Honda issue in FP1, and there were some Honda issues as well in FP2.”

“So, yeah, we still need to catch up a little on the weekend program. Hopefully, tomorrow we have a cleaner FP3.”

When asked whether he was certain to start Sunday’s race, Alonso suggested the situation may depend on Honda’s available components.

“We are okay to do it. It's more a question for Honda, if they have stock.”

Despite the challenging circumstances, Alonso attempted to strike a more optimistic tone regarding the team’s situation.

“We are far less negative than the media and people around.”

“We know where we are. We have a big challenge in front of us, but everyone in the team is embracing the challenge and trying everything we can to get out of the situation.”

Alonso added that the complexity of modern Formula 1 technology means progress can sometimes take time to become visible on track.

“This is Formula 1. Technology is very complex and things require a little bit of time.”

“But things are happening, big and small. There is always progress in teams, so let's hope that it becomes visible in lap time as soon as possible.”