Honda are ‘increasingly optimistic’ they can solve Aston Martin’s woes before Chinese Grand Prix

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Sources in Japan have revealed that Honda are now becoming increasingly optimistic that they can find a solution to Aston Martin’s engine issues following a dismal showing from the British constructor during F1’s pre-season tests.

While Ferrari and Mercedes showcased the prowess of their 2026 F1 cars over the two weeks of testing in Bahrain, Aston Martin struggled massively with getting a comprehensive test programme in.

Team boss Adrian Newey is ‘convinced’ that Aston Martin will have the best chassis in 2026, but the issues on the power unit side of things are a whole different story.

Due to several different issues that cropped up in Sakhir, the Silverstone-based outfit were the only team on the grid to not simulate a full race distance, raising concerns over whether they will even be able to compete in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The atmosphere within Aston Martin was likened to a funeral during the six-day test, but the morale of team staff may have received a boost upon their return to the United Kingdom following Honda’s latest developments.

• READ MORE: Fernando Alonso ‘very likely’ to retire from F1 at the end of 2026 over Aston Martin woes

A frank verdict from Stroll as Aston Martin look for answers 👀

Finish the sentence 'In Australia, Aston Martin will finish XX and XX'…

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Honda are optimistic about finding a ‘solution’ to Aston Martin’s engine woes before the Chinese GP

According to a report by Shiga Sports Japan, sources have revealed that Honda have assured Aston Martin that a solution to the ‘major technical issues’ in their F1 power unit will be implemented ahead of the second round of the season in Shanghai.

Anthony Davidson noted that the AMR26 was suffering from a ‘harvesting’ issue whilst trackside in Sakhir, which has been deemed to be the biggest issue for the HRC Sakura engineers in Milton Keynes.

Honda personnel have since been working around the clock to solve the issue, and project leaders are reportedly becoming ‘increasingly optimistic’ over the matter.

During the Bahrain test, the AMR26 was some 38kph behind the benchmark Ferrari engine in the speed traps, which has raised some concerns over whether Aston Martin will even be able to qualify for the season-opener due to the FIA’s 107% rule.

For now, the ‘short-term goal’ for Honda is to ensure a ‘stable and consistent’ level of competitiveness for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll, before continuing to focus on optimising the power unit for peak performance.

The report also states that Honda are ‘internally’ eyeing to introduce a more ‘complete package’ in time for the Chinese Grand Prix, which will be taking place just one week after the season-opener in Melbourne.

• READ MORE: Adrian Newey privately told Aston Martin’s rivals that Honda can’t hit ‘lower’ energy recovery limit

Aston Martin are currently facing a 38kph deficit to Ferrari’s engine! Do you think they’ll even QUALIFY for the Australian Grand Prix?!

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Adrian Newey is delegating his duties as Aston Martin’s team principal to focus on his expertise

After being appointed to lead Aston Martin into the new era of F1 regulations during the latter stages of last year’s campaign, questions were raised over Adrian Newey’s ability to take charge of a team.

The British aerodynamicist is the most successful F1 designer in history, but that doesn’t guarantee success when steering the ship.

In an attempt to keep things from spiralling out of control on the media front, Newey has delegated responsibility to Pedro de la Rosa, a former F1 driver turned ambassador for the team.

It allows the 66-year-old to focus on his own tasks, but it also doesn’t look good on his part due to the fact that it is one of the main duties of an F1 team principal.

Newey has certainly been thrown in at the deep end during his first campaign as the leading figure within the Aston Martin set-up, and it will be interesting to see how he manages to dig his way out of the hole that the Silverstone-based outfit currently finds itself in.