Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Lance Stroll has issued a clear message to Honda, calling on Aston Martin’s engine supplier to provide “more power” for the AMR26 ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season opener.
The Silverstone-based outfit, Aston Martin, endured a troubled pre-season as the championship entered a new regulatory era. The team’s fresh partnership with Honda has so far been overshadowed by reliability concerns and a noticeable performance deficit during testing in Barcelona and Bahrain.
Across nine days of running, Stroll and team-mate Fernando Alonso completed fewer than 400 laps combined. That figure stands in stark contrast to Mercedes, which led overall mileage with 1,204 laps, and even trails the newly formed Cadillac squad, which recorded 745 laps.
When the AMR26 was operational, its pace also raised concerns. During the first Bahrain test, Stroll estimated the car was between four and four-and-a-half seconds adrift of the leading teams.
“We need more power. It’s as simple as that,” Stroll stated.
“We’re lacking power. And then we also need to improve the car. So it’s a combination of things.”
On the final day of testing in Sakhir, a battery-related issue restricted Stroll to just six laps as Honda worked to diagnose the underlying problem. Reports suggest that the battery system may be struggling to recharge efficiently, a critical factor under the new energy-focused regulations that could significantly impact race performance.
Beyond the power unit, the AMR26 chassis is also understood to require further refinement. Stroll acknowledged there is no immediate solution but emphasised that development will be continuous throughout the 24-race campaign.
“We have a lot of ideas. Will all our problems be fixed for Melbourne? Probably not,” he admitted.
“But it’s a long season. We’ll keep chipping away, bringing as much performance as we can every weekend. And on the engine side, the same — try to add performance throughout the year and see how we progress.”
With the 2026 regulations presenting complex technical challenges, Aston Martin faces a significant task to close the gap. The effectiveness of Honda’s power unit development, combined with chassis evolution, will be decisive in shaping the team’s competitiveness over the course of the season.
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