Fernando Alonso has offered an update on Aston Martin’s investigation into the performance issues experienced during the Singapore Grand Prix. The two-time world champion finished 16th at Marina Bay, a lap down on the winner. He stated that the team still needs to understand several aspects of what went wrong.
Alonso reported significant drivability and turbo lag issues with his Honda power unit during the Singapore event. He indicated a loss of 200 to 300 metres on every straight due to poor energy deployment.
The Spaniard also experienced inconsistent electrical deployment, with power delivered at unexpected points or lacking strength when acceleration was required.
Both Aston Martin cars, driven by Alonso and Lance Stroll, started the Singapore Grand Prix from the pit lane. This followed qualifying difficulties where Alonso was P17 and Stroll P19.
Overnight setup changes were made to both AMR26 cars under parc fermé conditions. Alonso also received changes to his power unit components, including a reported replacement turbocharger.
Honda has since admitted that the new turbocharger, introduced at the Singapore Grand Prix, failed to resolve the inconsistent acceleration problems.
Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s trackside chief, explained that the manufacturer continues to struggle with turbo lag. He also cited issues with the interaction between its combustion engine and electrical systems.
Orihara attributed these difficulties to the unique circuit layout of Marina Bay and the energy-management demands of the 2026 Formula 1 regulations.
Despite Alonso’s initial suggestion that his turbocharger was ‘broken,’ Honda’s subsequent investigation at its Sakura facility did not identify significant mechanical damage.
The 2026 season marks the first year of the Aston Martin-Honda partnership, which has faced a challenging introduction. Honda had anticipated that their 2026 power unit would not be competitive since late 2025.
Early in the season, the partnership encountered severe vibrations from the Honda power unit. These issues led to driver discomfort and battery reliability problems.
Honda Racing Corporation leaders, including Koji Watanabe, acknowledged that delayed development and structural reorganization caused the manufacturer to lose two years of progress.
Former Honda F1 power unit development leader Yasuaki Asaki stated that the fundamental reason for Honda’s power unit performance deficit is a ‘lack of power.’
Asaki attributes this to the 2026 regulation changes, which lowered the upper limit of the compression ratio for internal combustion engines from 18:1 to 16:1. This change makes high-speed combustion less likely.
Aston Martin currently sits 10th in the Constructors’ Championship standings. The team is behind Williams, which holds 68 points.
Alonso noted that the car will remain largely unchanged for the remaining six races of the season. He emphasized the need to maximize performance each weekend.
The team now prepares for the United States Grand Prix, Round 18 of the 2026 F1 season. Free Practice 1 and 2 are scheduled for Friday, October 23, at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.
