Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
Aston Martin decided to switch out Mercedes engines for Honda in 2026 under the new regulations. That decision has proved disastrous thus far, as their data shows from the first three races.
Mercedes clearly have the fastest power unit in 2026, with the factory team clinching pole position and the win in every race so far. Meanwhile, Aston Martin have only had one race finish, with Fernando Alonso finishing P18 at Suzuka.
Reliability problems, as well as a general lack of pace and severe vibrations, have left the Silverstone squad glued to the back of the field. Honda deny a ‘deteriorating’ relationship with Aston Martin, but both sides have been quick to blame one another.
Just one year left in Lawrence Stroll’s five-year plan
Where will Aston Martin be in 2027?
Adrian Newey, who has now stepped down as Aston Martin team principal to focus on developing the AMR26, was quick to shift the blame to Honda. However, at Suzuka, Honda’s ‘top officials’ blamed Aston Martin for the vibration issues in the car.
They claim that the problem, which is causing severe health concerns for Alonso and Lance Stroll, only came about when the engine was integrated with the chassis. Newey’s Aston Martin chassis is not good in high-speed corners, as the team have admitted.
It begs the question as to where the Silverstone outfit would be had they stuck with the Mercedes engine for 2026. As the GPS data shows, it would paint a much better picture.
Aston Martin would be ‘2.3 seconds’ faster and level with Alpine with Mercedes engines
As per journalist Andrew Benson via BBC Sport, a ‘very senior and knowledgeable figure’ said that ‘more than half’ of Aston Martin’s deficit is caused by the chassis.
Of course, the Honda engine is also at fault to some degree for the team’s underperformance, but the ”exact split of the losses’ will likely never be determined. However, one thing is clear: Aston Martin would be doing much better with Mercedes.
Newey admitted in Australia that the chassis made Aston Martin the ‘fifth-best team’, but they were lacking in other areas. On average, the team are 3.6 seconds off the pace across all qualifying sessions in 2026, including the China Sprint.
The fifth fastest team, on average, is Alpine, who moved to using Mercedes engines after shutting their factory operation down in 2025. The Enstone outfit are 1.268s off the pace.
Aston Martin are around 2.3 seconds off the pace of Newey’s claimed fifth-best position, ‘with the majority down to the chassis and the rest the engine’. They would be level with Alpine if they had a Mercedes engine.
READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage
What approach do Aston Martin need to take to fix 2026 woes?
The one-month break in the calendar comes at the right time for Aston Martin, as they can regroup and work on ways to improve their package.
Jolyon Palmer says Aston Martin are making Alonso look like a ‘test driver’, with Suzuka being the first race that he made it to the end. This is something that simply cannot go on, especially given the hype that surrounded the team over the winter.
Can Aston Martin’s relationship with Honda survive long-term?
The relationship may still be fine, as Honda are claiming, but the blame game currently being played is not good for either side. They have to find a way to work harmoniously and come to a solution.
Aston Martin have taken a ‘mouth shut’ approach with Honda, as they knew criticism at their home race at Suzuka would not sit well. This is the exact approach they need to continue with – they have to come together to get off the back of the grid.
Receive exclusive F1 news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
