Trending Now - Alonso Warns of Health Hazards Amid Aston Martin Battery Issues

WHO:

Adrian Newey, Aston Martin team principal

Fernando Alonso, driver for Aston Martin, age 44

Lance Stroll, driver for Aston Martin, age 27

Koji Watanabe, president of Honda Racing Corporation

Valtteri Bottas, driver for Cadillac

Aston Martin, Formula 1 team

Honda, engine supplier for Aston Martin

WHAT:

Aston Martin's drivers are likely to be limited to 25 laps (Alonso) and 15 laps (Stroll) during the Australian Grand Prix due to health risks from vibrations.

Newey stated that the vibrations from the Honda power unit are causing reliability issues, including mirrors and tail lights falling off the car.

The team has only two operational batteries left for its Honda power units, with no spares available.

Alonso expressed confidence that Honda would resolve the issues, stating he has "100% faith" in their ability to fix the problems.

Newey described the AMR26 car as potentially the fifth-best chassis on the grid, with "tremendous development potential."

WHERE:

Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia

Honda's R&D base in Sakura, Japan

WHEN:

The Australian Grand Prix is scheduled for March 6, 2026.

Preseason testing occurred in Bahrain prior to the Australian Grand Prix.

Newey's media session took place on March 5, 2026.

WHY:

The vibrations from the Honda power unit are causing health concerns for the drivers, risking permanent nerve damage.

Aston Martin's poor preseason performance is attributed to a compressed design timeline and issues with the Honda power unit.

HOW:

The team is working to identify the root cause of the vibrations affecting the chassis and drivers.

Newey mentioned that the team is implementing solutions tested at Honda's facilities to address the vibration issues.

Aston Martin has stationed staff at Honda's facilities to assist in resolving the problems.

Aston Martin's drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, are expected to be limited to 25 and 15 laps respectively during today's Australian Grand Prix due to health concerns from vibrations linked to their Honda power unit. Team principal Adrian Newey highlighted that these vibrations are causing reliability issues, including problems with mirrors and tail lights, and the team currently has only two operational batteries left with no spares available. Despite these challenges, Alonso expressed his confidence in Honda's ability to resolve the issues, while Newey described the AMR26 car as having tremendous development potential, potentially ranking as the fifth-best chassis on the grid.