Aston Martin’s power unit supplier Honda has acknowledged that vibrations affecting drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are a “key area to address” after both retired from the Chinese Grand Prix. Stroll pulled out on lap nine due to a suspected battery issue, while Alonso withdrew with 21 laps remaining, citing discomfort from the car’s vibrations.
Team principal Adrian Newey had earlier revealed concerns about “permanent nerve damage” following the season opener in Australia. Onboard footage from Shanghai showed Alonso releasing the steering wheel at times due to violent oscillations. The Spaniard said afterwards: “Physically, I could not continue much longer. I started to lose the feeling in my hands and feet.”
In a post-race statement, Honda chief engineer Shintaro Orihara noted that seven retirements in Shanghai proved the 2026 regulations are “far from simple,” but stressed the need to improve. “We cannot be satisfied with the double DNF,” the statement read. “We have improved the vibrations on the systems side, but it’s still an issue for driver comfort.”
Honda said it is investigating the root cause of Stroll’s DNF and will work with HRC Sakura and Aston Martin to understand what happened. The team now has two weeks before the Japanese Grand Prix, Honda’s home event, to address the issues on the AMR26 car.
