Honda confident ‘corrective measures’ dispel Fernando Alonso’s complaints after new issue in Hungary

Follow us on Google Discover

Honda are confident the ‘corrective measures’ they introduced to their power unit between FP1 and FP2 at the Hungarian Grand Prix have now dispelled Fernando Alonso’s complaints of a new vibration issue.

Aston Martin fans finally got a first look at the AMR26’s long-awaited first major upgrade package of the 2026 F1 season on Friday afternoon at the Hungarian Grand Prix. The British outfit dominated the FIA’s upgrade sheet, bringing 16 updates with them to Budapest.

However, the first hour of practice proved to be somewhat of a rollercoaster for the team. While Fernando Alonso managed to set the 13th fastest time in FP1, the session was interrupted by a red flag caused by Lance Stroll’s rear suspension seemingly giving up.

On top of that, Alonso also reported a vibration issue with his Honda engine at high speeds. The two-time world champion alerted his race engineer to the issue over the team radio, which was also audibly evident in Alonso’s onboard footage.

• READ MORE: Martin Brundle issues verdict on Aston Martin’s upgrades after what he saw from trackside in Hungary

Honda chief confirms ‘improvements have been made’ after vibration issue crops up again at Hungary

In the team principals’ press conference in between FP1 and FP2 at the Hungaroring, Adrian Newey fielded a question regarding the reemergence of the vibration issue that had stumped Honda engineers at the beginning of the season.

The 67-year-old began by clarifying why Alonso was told to stay off the kerbs: “Staying away from the kerbs was purely because we were acquiring aero data. You don’t want the disruption of kerbs thrown in, because the inconsistency corrupts the data.”

In terms of the vibrations, or “oscillations” as those trackside refer to it, Newey pointed the finger towards Honda: “The oscillations, yes, that’s really a question for Honda. They can see it in the data, and they are working on a solution.”

Trackside manager of the Japanese manufacturer, Shintaro Orihara, later revealed that “corrective measures” had been introduced to the power unit, which had given them grounds for some optimism for the rest of the race weekend.

He told journalists, via Mundo Deportivo, “FP1 was a very important session for us, in which we gathered a lot of crucial data. We observed some oscillations in the engine, and we know the cause, which is different from the previous vibrations.

• READ MORE: Adrian Newey had to change Aston Martin’s ‘whole car’ because Honda engine didn’t ‘fit’

“Throughout today’s sessions, we have been adjusting the corrective measures, and we can confirm that improvements have been made. The work will continue throughout the weekend.”

The Sakura-based brand’s first ADUO upgrades have been scheduled for the first round of racing following the conclusion of the summer break.

Honda are currently experiencing compliance issues with the update, but are expected to come up with a fix between now and the grid’s arrival at Zandvoort in August.