Fernando Alonso was unable to complete the Chinese Formula 1 GP due to physical discomfort caused by vibrations from the Aston Martin car, the AMR26, a result that highlights Honda’s ongoing challenges in ensuring reliability in the 2026 season.
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The Spaniard retired on the 35th lap after trying to resist the vibrations that went through the chassis and the power unit. The retirement was not motivated by mechanical failure, but rather by the physical impact the car caused the driver, who even took his hands off the steering wheel during the straights to alleviate the discomfort and allow the team to continue collecting data.
“We cannot be satisfied with the double retirement at the Chinese GP today,” said Shinato Orihara, Honda’s chief engineer. “However, if we look at the more positive aspects, we ran more kilometers than in Melbourne, which is encouraging. We also increased our reliability during the Sprint format weekend, but that was still not enough to complete the full race,” he said.
Alonso had already warned about the risks of vibrations in the first round of the year, in Australia, suggesting that he could tolerate about 25 laps before the discomfort became unbearable. In Shanghai, the Spanish driver struggled to stay on track, but the vibrations proved too strong, forcing the team to withdraw him to preserve the driver’s safety and allow for data collection work.
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“We have improved the vibrations in the systems, but it is still a problem for driver comfort. This is a key area to be resolved before the next GP in Japan,” added Orihara. Regarding Lance Stroll’s retirement on the 9th lap, Orihara stated that the investigation into the cause continues, in conjunction with Honda and Aston Martin.
The situation highlights that the new era of Formula 1 regulations still presents significant reliability and drivability challenges for Honda and Aston Martin, with optimization work being a priority before the next race in two weeks.
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