Aston Martin’s Formula 1 season could take a new direction after the summer break. Honda revealed that it is working on significant improvements for its power unit, currently considered the least competitive among the six suppliers on the grid.
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The difficulty faced by the team since the start of the championship was already feared even before the debut. Integration problems between the engine and chassis have left Aston Martin at the bottom of the constructors’ championship, alongside Cadillac, still without scoring in 2026.
Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s general manager of track operations, stated during the Canadian GP that the changes require time but indicated the summer break as the first moment when more significant advances should appear. “Engine development is a long-term job, but we are not talking about the end of this season. Let’s say that after the summer break, we will see some improvement,” he said.
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According to Orihara, the main current focuses of the Japanese manufacturer are combustion and reducing internal friction of the power unit. “We know where we need to improve, especially on the combustion side. We have some ideas to improve performance and have already seen positive signs in the dynamometer data,” he explained. He also highlighted that reducing friction is another priority in the evolution process.
Besides the power unit, Aston Martin also recognizes limitations in the car itself. Mike Krack, the team’s head of track operations, stated that there is still room for improvement in drivability and the overall setup of the package. “We can still make progress in drivability. We are not at an ideal point in all aspects of the car at this moment,” he emphasized.
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