Alonso proves Aston Martin’s chassis works as Stroll calls Honda engine ‘a lottery’

Fernando Alonso’s ninth-place finish in the Dutch Grand Prix offered genuine encouragement. Lance Stroll’s retirement, meanwhile, was accompanied by a brutally honest assessment of Honda’s upgraded power unit: “It’s a lottery.”

After Aston Martin’s major chassis and aerodynamic upgrade delivered a clear step forward at the Hungaroring, Zandvoort was supposed to provide the first proper test of that progress alongside Honda’s new engine specification. Qualifying initially appeared to be another setback, with Alonso and Stroll eliminated in Q1.

In the race, Alonso started 18th and fought his way into the points, finishing ninth after a disciplined two-stop strategy. He spent the closing stages keeping Pierre Gasly behind, extracting almost everything available from a car that still has obvious limitations. Most importantly, Alonso said the team could be encouraged by another step forward, despite continuing driveability problems.

Stroll’s weekend was far less positive. He qualified 19th and retired from the race after early damage left his car struggling for pace and sliding around the circuit. His comments after qualifying were particularly revealing.

Asked about Honda’s upgraded engine, Stroll said the improvement was small and “not nearly enough”. He praised the chassis progress made in Budapest but identified power and driveability as the next areas requiring attention. His description of inconsistent engine braking and rejected downshifts painted a picture of a power unit that remains difficult for the drivers to exploit consistently.

Alonso has effectively admitted that there is little Aston Martin can solve at the circuit. The next meaningful gains must come from Honda in Japan, through factory development or software changes, with the Spaniard pointing towards Monza as the crucial target for another step.

Newey’s chassis may finally be giving Honda something worth powering. The question is whether Honda can make that engine behave consistently, and deliver the extra performance the team require.