Technical chief admits serious engine problem and lack of mileage for the AMR26
Adrian Newey admitted to feeling “powerless” in the face of the difficulties faced by Aston Martin at the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season. The team is going through a complicated moment after significant technical problems during the start of activities for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.
Read more F1: Newey warns of “big problem” at Aston Martin after battery shortage
During the team principals’ press conference held between the first and second free practice sessions at Albert Park, Newey was asked if this would be one of the most difficult moments of his career. The British engineer acknowledged the gravity of the situation.
“I feel I’m a bit powerless at the moment because we clearly have a very significant problem with the power unit,” he stated. “Our lack of running also means we aren’t managing to understand the car. We have very little information about the car itself because we’ve done very few laps.”
According to Newey, the limitations imposed by the engine problem also prevented the team from carrying out important low-fuel simulations, which are fundamental for evaluating the car’s real performance.
“Honda has limited us quite a bit in the number of laps we can do with low fuel,” he explained. “This ends up becoming a self-feeding problem.”
Despite the difficulties, Newey avoided placing the blame exclusively on Honda. The engineer emphasized that in modern Formula 1, the car’s performance depends on the complete integration between the chassis and the power unit.
Read more F1: Bortoleto finishes FP2 in 14th place in Australia
“We can say it’s not our problem, but in fact it is,” he stated. “The car is a combination of chassis and engine, so we need to work together to find the best possible solution.”
Aston Martin’s problems were already evident in the first free practice in Melbourne. Fernando Alonso was not even able to take to the track after the team identified a failure in his AMR26 before the session.
His teammate, Lance Stroll, also had his practice interrupted early due to a suspected power unit problem, leaving the team among those that ran the least at the start of the weekend.
With little track time and persistent technical problems, Aston Martin starts the season at a disadvantage while trying to understand and correct the challenges of its new project.
Read more F1: Check the full results of FP2 for the 2026 Australian GP
