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Aston Martin may have to wait a long time before they can compete with the top F1 teams, as their Honda engine continues to be problematic.
The partnership with Honda has got off to a horrendous start for Aston Martin. The power unit issues are so severe that both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll couldn’t finish the Australian GP.
And ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, Alonso admitted a finish is unlikely again, as Aston Martin and Honda continue to evaluate the issues in front of them.
Have Aston Martin already ‘completely ruined’ their relationship with Honda?
The situation is so dire that team principal Adrian Newey is trying to get a cost cap exception for Honda’s resolution.
And while Honda president Koji Watanabe has called for an improved partnership, Aston Martin may only benefit from it in two years time.
READ MORE: Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin could ‘easily’ be in the top 10 without Honda engine issues
Honda expert tells reporter Aston Martin engine could take years to be competitive
Marca’s Carlos Miquel revealed that he had spoken to a Honda expert who was familiar with their operations as far back as their ill-fated McLaren partnership.
This expert told Miquel that Honda could take two years to address the engine issues and make it competitive, while other experts have suggested it would take at least another year.
“I hope he stays another year and we can see him in an Aston Martin with the engine problems already resolved. This is going to be a long time.”
“Someone who knew Sakura in the McLaren era told me that it takes two years to restructure the engine block and make it competitive. Others think it could be in a season. There is no detail of the AMR26 that does not attract the attention of paddock experts.”
Even with the more optimistic approach, Aston Martin would have to consider the 2026 season a write-off while incurring the massive costs of addressing the engine issues.
READ MORE: Stefano Domenicali tells crisis-hit Aston Martin that finger-pointing ‘cannot be accepted’
How disappointed should Aston Martin be with their Australian Grand Prix performance?
Aston Martin must hope that Honda can address problem in quicker timeline
In a recent interview, Koji Watanabe revealed he was hopeful that the Honda team at Sakura could get the power unit issues partially resolved by the time of the Japanese Grand Prix.
This gives them roughly three weeks to get the power unit operational, at least to the point where driving the car doesn’t come at a health risk for the drivers.
Some projections have Aston Martin waiting six months for a resolution from Honda. At this point, no one can provide a solid timeline outside of Honda and Aston Martin.
This season has quickly turned into a disaster for Aston Martin, and for it to happen even before a second race has taken place is a tragedy.
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