Photo: Aston Martin F1 Team
Honda sees first step forward with Aston Martin after difficult start
Honda says completing the Japanese Grand Prix marked an important step forward for its Aston Martin project, despite ongoing reliability and performance challenges.
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Honda’s return to Formula 1 as a works partner with Aston Martin has been anything but smooth so far. From the outset, the project has been held back by reliability concerns, particularly vibrations and issues with batteries.
Even before the opening race, Aston Martin admitted that reaching the finish could be a challenge due to these problems. That prediction quickly proved accurate, with the team struggling to complete races in the early part of the season.
A small but meaningful improvement came in Japan during the third round of the season. At Suzuka, Alonso managed to see the chequered flag, giving both Aston Martin and Honda their first full race distance of the season.
Honda’s F1 chief engineer Shintaro Orihara described the result as an important moment for the programme, particularly from a reliability standpoint.
“We completed a full distance of the race. That is a good step in terms of reliability. We are working hard to improve battery deliverability," Orihara said, as quoted by RacingNews365.
Despite that progress, Honda continues to face a complex development task, with several areas requiring attention at the same time. The manufacturer is working on both performance gains and better energy management, but does not expect immediate results.
“But on the other hand, also in the Sakura factory, we are working hard to improve engine performance. Also we are working hard to evaluate and optimise energy management. [We must] also develop engine performance mechanically, it's not a short-term job. So we will keep working hard, implementing performance in the background," Orihara explained
Completing the race in Japan has at least provided the team with valuable data, which should help guide the next phase of development.
“But we gathered a lot of in Japan through the race distance that gives us more data to improve our drivability, and also energy management. That gives us good data for the coming four weeks going to Miami," Honda’s F1 chief engineer added.
With several weeks before the next round in Miami, Honda now has a key opportunity to turn that data into progress. While the gap to the front remains clear, Suzuka offered the first indication that the project is starting to move in the right direction.
