Aston Martin has denied any tension with Honda after a complicated start to the 2026 Formula 1 season. Even facing significant technical problems, the British team stated that the relationship with the engine supplier remains positive.
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The Silverstone-based team had a difficult start to the championship this year, mainly because of a strong vibration in the Honda power unit. The problem raised concerns about the drivers’ health and prevented Aston Martin from completing a race until the third round of the year, at the Japanese GP, when Fernando Alonso managed to finish the race.
During the weekend in Suzuka, a scene caught attention on the starting grid when team owner Lawrence Stroll was seen shaking hands with Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe. The gesture raised speculation that the two parties were trying to ‘make peace’ after the recent problems.
Despite this, Aston Martin’s Head of Track Operations, Mike Krack, dismissed any disagreement between the team and the Japanese manufacturer. According to him, the partnership remains solid even with the technical difficulties faced at the start of the championship: “There was no need to make peace, because we have a good relationship. We came here knowing that this is our partner’s home race,” Krack stated.
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The official also highlighted the team’s respect for the work carried out by Honda to solve the problems. According to Krack, the joint effort further strengthened the collaboration between the two organizations: “We have a lot of respect for Honda and we saw how hard they worked on the problems we are facing. So it was also a matter of respect to try everything we could to finish the race,” he added.
Krack also stated that discussions between the team and the supplier have been ongoing, with meetings before and after the Japanese round: “We discussed this before, throughout the week and also in the coming weeks. There is no need to make peace, because there are no problems,” he concluded.
Even with the complicated start to the current season, Aston Martin reinforces that the partnership with Honda remains firm, with both parties working together to overcome challenges and improve performance throughout 2026.
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