Aston Martin faces a very complicated start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, but a new report points out that the Honda power unit is not primarily responsible for the underperformance. According to the analysis, more than half of the team’s deficit relative to the front of the grid is linked to the car’s chassis.
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The British team occupies the last position in the constructors’ championship after three rounds. The AMR26, designed by Adrian Newey, has shown performance and reliability issues since the start of the championship, hindering Aston Martin’s competitiveness.
The move to the factory partnership with Honda also began with difficulties. Severe vibrations in the new power unit caused reliability issues and even concerns about the drivers’ health, preventing the team from completing the full race distance in Australia and China.
At the Japanese GP, the team finally managed to see the checkered flag. Fernando Alonso finished in 18th place, one lap down, a result considered a small step forward after a very problematic start to the season.
Despite the criticism directed at Honda, BBC Sport Formula 1 correspondent Andrew Benson stated that the data indicates the chassis is the main factor in the deficit: “The report from the race in Suzuka mentioned that more than half of Aston Martin’s deficit to the front of the grid was caused by the chassis,” Benson stated in a Q&A session with fans.
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According to the journalist, the information came from an experienced source during the Japanese GP weekend and also coincides with GPS data analyzed by the teams: “The exact split between car and engine losses is not known, and it is probably not possible to know, as engine behavior can also influence cornering performance,” he said.
Benson also highlighted that the team itself recognizes the car’s limitations: “While much of the public focus is on the Honda engine, especially the vibrations causing reliability issues, Adrian Newey has made it clear that the car is also underperforming,” he added.
Currently, Aston Martin sits in 11th and last position in the championship, even behind newcomer Cadillac, being one of only two teams yet to score points in 2026. According to Benson, the team is about 2.3 seconds behind the top 10 in qualifying, with most of that gap attributed to the chassis.
The report also points out that the car is overweight and faces difficulties especially in high-speed corners. Even so, the conclusion is that both Aston Martin and Honda still have a long way to go: “The fundamental point is that it doesn’t matter exactly where the deficit is. Both Aston Martin and Honda are far from being competitive at the moment, they both know it and have a lot of work to do,” Benson concluded.
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