2026 Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team

[Bill]

Team summary is at https://www.astonmartinf1.com/en-GB/new ... hrain-2026

It includes:
Unfortunately, his afternoon session ended early after Honda identified a power unit-related issue and, as a precaution, the team stopped the car. It was returned safely to the garage for further checks and maintenance.

So the official team info identifies a PU issue. Obviously the onboard video shows the PU was at least running at time of shut down. Well, unless it expired after drive was lost and the increase of revs (perhaps some fault that meant loss of control, but not absolute stop of the engine, if we assume the issue was precipitated by the PU?).

Maybe the PU cut the drive to protect itself.

This really looked like a drivetrain issue, car was stuck in gear and for some reason the rpm went to 13,000rpm twice but didnt move forward(almost as if it was out of frustration but there was no throttle input which was odd), if anything you try and protect the ICE by restricting the rpm as low as possible. No safety system will try and protect the ICE by revving it to max rpm twice

Last year when the Mclarens stopped because of powerunit failer they would blame it on the chassis I assume mercedes has something in there contract that forbid their customers from blame them for any failures it's about protecting the brand. I will assume that honda has a similar arrangement with aston.

[FNTC]

Almost an hour and no laps yet, screens up so still working with the floor off...

[edu2703]

Oh boy...

[AR3-GP]

Wow.

[FNTC]

This power unit is a complete disaster so far... So they have battery issues too...

[auem123]

I don't get how this Honda 'started late' crap coming up. Unlike 2015, when they joined the grid after announcing their intention just a year earlier, this time they had almost three years in their hand. Added to that Audi started their program around that time also and despite starting from the scratch, they already built a decent engine which gives good power and doesn't break down.

[ryaan2904]

Oh boy...

Alonso is going to be wild this season

[AR3-GP]

PU homologation in 10 days. How are they going to homologate a PU that has never been run on the track? Aramco hasn't received its fuel compliance either. Strange since it was said that Aramco was far ahead with the e-fuels.

[FNTC]

So after simulations on the bench in Japan they decided you can only do short stints. How are they supposed to do a full race distance in just over two weeks? Lawrence Stroll must be livid.

[zoroastar]

its kinda freaking amazing how many laps every other team are getting. redbull is making their first PU and are killin it. and this is happening again

[SchuMassa]

Oh boy...

Heads must roll!

[Bill]

So a battery related issue made the car lose drive sound bogus to me.they have running short stints since the test started so was it because of battery related issues too .they is nothing new here they have been running shorts stints since day one they never did long runs.

[edu2703]

PU homologation in 10 days. How are they going to homologate a PU that has never been run on the track? Aramco hasn't received its fuel compliance either. Strange since it was said that Aramco was far ahead with the e-fuels.

Honda's only salvation now is ADUO. I doubt the PU they're going to homologate will have most of its problems fixed. I have a feeling something more serious is going on.

[AR3-GP]

PU homologation in 10 days. How are they going to homologate a PU that has never been run on the track? Aramco hasn't received its fuel compliance either. Strange since it was said that Aramco was far ahead with the e-fuels.

Honda's only salvation now is ADUO. I doubt the PU they're going to homologate will have most of its problems fixed. I have a feeling something more serious is going on.

That's the thing as well. The ADUO PU from Race 7 won't have any track test before it is homologated. How can you homologate something that has never seen the track?

[Darth-Piekus]

A few years back the Honda engine had the same issues with Mclaren. Fans of Honda tried to pin it all to Mclaren and their very tight chassis while ridiculing different opinions from the fans of Mclaren. How the tables have turned and we were proven right when we were saying that Honda had issues fundamentally. What is their excuse this time to have gone so many steps back?