Stefano Domenicali tells crisis-hit Aston Martin that finger-pointing ‘cannot be accepted’

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Stefano Domenicali has warned Aston Martin not to resort to a blame game amid critical problems with their Honda power unit. The team’s participation in Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix remains in doubt.

Restricted in how hard they can push the car, Aston Martin may not meet the 107% rule in qualifying. One report on Thursday even suggested that Adrian Newey wanted to skip multiple races, seeking an exemption to the team’s contractual agreements.

Speaking to F1 CEO Domenicali in Albert Park, Martin Brundle described the Aston Martin problem as ‘critical’. It’s been 13 years since an F1 team was unfit to race (Manor Marussia at the 2015 season opener).

Stefano Domenicali says Aston Martin must ‘react positively’ to their crisis

Domenicali admits he was ‘surprised’ by the severity of Aston Martin’s problems. With Newey at the helm, the team were seen as a potential dark horse under the new regulations.

The former Ferrari F1 boss says Aston Martin must remember that it’s a ‘team sport’, stressing the importance of unity.

One report claims a ‘toxic blame culture’ is already developing at Aston Martin. Newey and Alonso have been clear in their Melbourne interviews that the onus is on Honda to lift them from the mire.

Aston Martin boss Adrian Newey reveals Honda only have two operational batteries left

Will Aston Martin make the start of the Australian Grand Prix?

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“I don’t want to lie, I was surprised by that situation,” Domenicali, who left Ferrari in 2014 after six years in charge, told the F1 Show. “The only thing that, in my experience, cannot be accepted is finger-pointing.

“We are a team sport. The only way to react positively and as fast as possible is to work together.”

Fernando Alonso’s ‘resounding thumbs down’ to Lawrence Stroll at Australian Grand Prix

Also on the F1 Show, Simon Lazenby recounted a brief exchange between Alonso and Lawrence Stroll in the paddock. The team owner tried to gauge his star driver’s feelings after the opening day of the season.

“That was him communicating with Fernando a little bit earlier,” Lazenby said. “Thumbs up, thumbs down? It was a resounding thumbs down.”

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says Newey must accept some responsibility, suggesting that his extreme car design may have contributed to the Aston Martin car overheating.

For Honda, there are uncomfortable parallels with 2015, when they reunited with McLaren. A disastrous first season set the tone for the next three years, and they split before the 2018 campaign.