2026 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

[TyreSlip]

Thought they were going to penalise as Honda's Zandvoort report mentioned changes to the electric side, but maybe those aren't hardware/parts? I might have been wrong then.

Autoracer say Honda will only be 15HP at first and "intention is then to get to the 30hp initially planned, if reliability and performance confirm the data seen in development."

I read there were updates to the electric side, but maybe they were simply software ones? I could not see how new hardware architecture, no matter how minor in changes, could avoid a grid drop penalty.

[TyreSlip]

Some are saying there won't be any penalties.. and there are updates to the Front wing and Floor.

Nice. I thought it was only a reduction in weight. While the car has a lot more grip than the previous car, the car still tends to slightly understeer. Maybe this update will balance the car more?

[FNTC]

I think they have one more ICE and turbocharger left in the allocation without penalty, so if the battery is the same they avoid penalties. https://app.formula1dashboard.com/used-elements/

[Waz]

After a disastrous start of the season, this team and Honda have really turned things around in an impressive time frame.

This highlights how poor Boullier and Goss at McLaren were in working with Honda.

It's also a testament to Neweys belief in himself, to solve the problems and make the correct decisions to steer developments.

Looking forward to more interesting races in the second half for them.

[diffuser]

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1102553/1 ... IyOiyCIunA

Honda does not expect to take any penalties this weekend as a result of the upgraded engine. It is also confident there will be no repeat of the vibration issues that plagued Aston Martin at the start of the campaign.

The main focus for the weekend at Zandvoort will be optimising the drivability of the new engine as Honda looks to find more baseline power.

“Our weak point is engine power,” Orihara explained. “So we focus to improve engine performance this time. We just focus to improve engine performance, especially combustion characteristics, and also reduce friction to get more performance.

“We haven't changed anything [on the] software side, the ERS side. But improved engine performance helps also deployment. So we will check how our deployment works with this engine.”

Asked if there will be further power unit updates before the end of the year, Orihara replied: "This is the only major update for this year.

"But if we find something, a good solution to improve our performance by a small modification, that can be on the table. But [the next] major update will be in 2027."

[TyreSlip]

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1102553/1 ... IyOiyCIunA

Honda does not expect to take any penalties this weekend as a result of the upgraded engine. It is also confident there will be no repeat of the vibration issues that plagued Aston Martin at the start of the campaign.

The main focus for the weekend at Zandvoort will be optimising the drivability of the new engine as Honda looks to find more baseline power.

“Our weak point is engine power,” Orihara explained. “So we focus to improve engine performance this time. We just focus to improve engine performance, especially combustion characteristics, and also reduce friction to get more performance.

“We haven't changed anything [on the] software side, the ERS side. But improved engine performance helps also deployment. So we will check how our deployment works with this engine.”

Asked if there will be further power unit updates before the end of the year, Orihara replied: "This is the only major update for this year.

"But if we find something, a good solution to improve our performance by a small modification, that can be on the table. But [the next] major update will be in 2027."

Aston Martin will have to take an engine penalty in the second half of the season anyway, so if there are any minor changes they can do to improve performance without compromising the focus for 2027, they should do it.

[ispano6]

Motorsport refers to info released by Honda. Asaki is a retired person speculating about his former workplace.

My father-in-law retired from Honda in Wako Research facility near Sakura as an officer in the department of secrecy and intellectual properties enforcement and still kept close contact with active colleagues in R&D. What Asaki doesn't outwardly say is that what he expects is what he's already relayed to the current leaders. It's not Motorsport is the source of truth. I read Asaki's column and could tell his diction was careful. I doubt Motorsport could pick up the Japanese nuances.

[zoroastar]

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1102553/1 ... IyOiyCIunA

Honda does not expect to take any penalties this weekend as a result of the upgraded engine. It is also confident there will be no repeat of the vibration issues that plagued Aston Martin at the start of the campaign.

The main focus for the weekend at Zandvoort will be optimising the drivability of the new engine as Honda looks to find more baseline power.

“Our weak point is engine power,” Orihara explained. “So we focus to improve engine performance this time. We just focus to improve engine performance, especially combustion characteristics, and also reduce friction to get more performance.

“We haven't changed anything [on the] software side, the ERS side. But improved engine performance helps also deployment. So we will check how our deployment works with this engine.”

Asked if there will be further power unit updates before the end of the year, Orihara replied: "This is the only major update for this year.

"But if we find something, a good solution to improve our performance by a small modification, that can be on the table. But [the next] major update will be in 2027."

this whole thing about friction screams of a group of inexperienced engineers designing an F1 engine for the first time in their lives. do we really believe that the team that went through developing the 2017 honda PU into the one that was winning championships at redbull would let that pass the design phase? sounds like now that theyve got their experienced people back they are gonna have to redesign a big part of the ICU for 27. that and the cost cap would explain why they wont be bringing anymore big updates this year.

[OnEcRiTiCaL]

https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1102553/1 ... IyOiyCIunA

Honda does not expect to take any penalties this weekend as a result of the upgraded engine. It is also confident there will be no repeat of the vibration issues that plagued Aston Martin at the start of the campaign.

The main focus for the weekend at Zandvoort will be optimising the drivability of the new engine as Honda looks to find more baseline power.

“Our weak point is engine power,” Orihara explained. “So we focus to improve engine performance this time. We just focus to improve engine performance, especially combustion characteristics, and also reduce friction to get more performance.

“We haven't changed anything [on the] software side, the ERS side. But improved engine performance helps also deployment. So we will check how our deployment works with this engine.”

Asked if there will be further power unit updates before the end of the year, Orihara replied: "This is the only major update for this year.

"But if we find something, a good solution to improve our performance by a small modification, that can be on the table. But [the next] major update will be in 2027."

this whole thing about friction screams of a group of inexperienced engineers designing an F1 engine for the first time in their lives. do we really believe that the team that went through developing the 2017 honda PU into the one that was winning championships at redbull would let that pass the design phase? sounds like now that theyve got their experienced people back they are gonna have to redesign a big part of the ICU for 27. that and the cost cap would explain why they wont be bringing anymore big updates this year.

Man ,there are 1000 things what can be against friction. You cant just use anything you want,you cant just drop any motor oil in, there are regulations! And is not just about Honda, the gearbox also makes a lot of friction, the motor oil supplies also have to adjust if Honda adjust. Is so complicated we cant even imagine. Is not like street cars use thinner oil or for extra 10 hp take off the Catalysator or change ignition etcetera.

[GoranF1]

Progress, still clearly behind Audi, Torroroso and one Alpine, but easily faster than the rest.

[FNTC]

P12 where Alonso is in FP1 seems like the most they can do so far. Maybe running the new Honda engine on a conservative setting so far though, we'll se.

[TyreSlip]

P12 where Alonso is in FP1 seems like the most they can do so far. Maybe running the new Honda engine on a conservative setting so far though, we'll se.

I am hoping because the car is barely faster than Colapinto's old Alpine.

[F1RAM]

The drivability of the new engine seemed poor... Alonso was complaining quite a lot. Not a steady session.

[TyreSlip]

The drivability of the new engine seemed poor... Alonso was complaining quite a lot. Not a steady session.

Is that something that Honda can improve in only an hour?

[diffuser]

The drivability of the new engine seemed poor... Alonso was complaining quite a lot. Not a steady session.

Is that something that Honda can improve in only an hour?

Alonso did say that the PU was doing what they were asking it to do. So maybe it's a change they have to make with the PU or setup changes. He was clearly having problems slowing the car down for certain corners.