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Honda had claimed to have significantly improved Aston Martin’s vibration issues for the Japanese Grand Prix, but Fernando Alonso proved that was not the case.
Almost everything has been going wrong for the Silverstone outfit in 2026. Their unreliable Honda power unit and various other mechanical faults have left them unable to complete a full race distance.
That was until the Japanese Grand Prix, where Alonso finished the race, albeit a lap down and in 18th. Lance Stroll retired with a water pressure issue, with the AMR26 again being woefully off the pace, but that was the least of their worries.
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The team were a complete mess heading into Suzuka. Adrian Newey had stepped away from team principal to focus on the car, with Jonathan Wheatley set to replace him. Despite the change, Honda admitted they cannot fix Aston Martin’s engine issues before the race.
However, HRC president Koji Watanabe told Autosport that the aggressiveness of the vibrations in the car had been ‘significantly reduced’. But that statement was proven incorrect by Alonso during the race.
Fernando Alonso had to take his hands off the steering wheel again in Japan due to Aston Martin vibrations
The vibrations in the AMR26 have been a serious health concern for the drivers. Alonso had to take his hands off the steering wheel in Shanghai, highlighting the extent of the problem.
Gary Anderson had told the FIA to intervene with Aston Martin, as the problem is a huge safety risk for Alonso and Stroll. While Honda said it had been improved for Japan, the dangers of it were made clear again.
Alonso’s onboard footage showed him taking his hand off the wheel and placing it on his leg, as per a report from MARCA. The Spaniard was left trying to get the feeling back in his fingers before putting it back where it should be.
To an extent, one could argue that the situation has improved, given that Alonso only took one hand off the wheel instead of both, as he did in China. But regardless, taking any hand off while driving an F1 car is incredibly dangerous and should not be happening, especially three races into a season.
Honda and Aston Martin will, of course, need time to properly fix their problems. But saying the vibrations have improved has been completely proven wrong by their star driver, once again, having to endanger himself in the car.
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Fernando Alonso takes positives from finishing the Japanese Grand Prix
Alonso’s primary objective was to get his car to the finish line. While he struggled to do that with the car’s lack of pace and vibrations, he managed it, and the 44-year-old is taking that as a positive.
He told DAZN after the race: “We have a lot of things to do, one of them was to finish a race. We didn’t do it in Australia or China , and we didn’t even complete the mileage in the test. At least we finished in front of the Japanese fans and tried to learn something.
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“The pace was very poor all weekend and it didn’t improve in the race. We still have a lot to improve, although at least we finished the first race.
“The vibrations were still there, perhaps a little less than in other races. It wasn’t easy either, but they were bearable enough to finish. It was a quiet race, quite boring, and we wanted to give the team some feedback.”
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