Aston Martin's disastrous start to the Formula One season deepened on Friday, with team principal Adrian Newey admitting the team may be unable to compete in qualifying or the race at the Australian Grand Prix. The team is down to just two operational battery units for their Honda hybrid engines after two of their four units failed during practice.
Newey revealed that the vibration issue with the Honda engine is so severe that drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll risk permanent nerve damage through the steering wheel. Alonso believes he can manage only 25 laps, and Stroll just 15, well short of the 58-lap race distance. The team is also unable to source replacement batteries from Honda, as none are available.
In first practice, Alonso could not take to the track due to a battery problem, while Stroll completed only three laps before retiring. In the second session, both cars ran for the full hour but were five seconds off the pace, and Stroll was brought in early with an unidentified issue. Newey suggested a quick fix is unlikely and that it may take several race weekends before the car can complete a race distance.
Newey also revealed that Aston Martin was unaware of the composition of Honda's engine team when they agreed a works deal. The original championship-winning team from Red Bull had been disbanded after Honda's 2021 exit, and many of the new staff are inexperienced in F1. The team only learned of the shortfall in November 2024 during a visit to Tokyo.
Meanwhile, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton topped first practice times, followed by Red Bull's Max Verstappen. In second practice, McLaren's Oscar Piastri was fastest, ahead of Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
