F1 LIVE | Aston Martin Honda woes set to continue in Japan, as Audi look for permanent team principal
Photo: Race Pictures
09:00, 25 Mar
0 Comments
Henry Eccles is a freelance Formula 1 journalist for GPblog, covering breaking news, live race blogs, and features across the F1 calendar. Since joining in 2026, he has produced high-volume reporting on the sport’s biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
Welcome to GPblog's daily liveblog. Follow the best news throughout the day here!
Honda still looking for cause of vibration issues ahead of Japanese GP
Yesterday, Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s trackside general manager and chief engineer, provided an update on the progress made with Aston Martin’s battery issues ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
Aston Martin are yet to finish a Grand Prix after the opening two rounds of the season, as Fernando Alonso retired from the Chinese GP after he “began to lose all feeling” in his limbs due to extreme battery vibrations in his AMR26.
Despite Orihara reporting “some progress” in reducing the vibrations, the Honda boss admitted they are still to find the cause of the issue.
ADVERTISEMENT
In a statement, Orihara said: "In China, we made some progress in terms of battery reliability thanks to a reduction in the vibration affecting the systems, but we must find more solutions to establish the cause of the vibrations affecting the drivers.”
Photo: Race Pictures
Audi set to restart team principal search after Binotto rejects permanent role
Elsewhere, GPblog could report the latest on Audi's team principal situation after Jonathan Wheatley's shock departure.
Audi's COO and CEO Mattia Binotto immediately stepped in as the replacement for the former Red Bull man.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, GPblog understands that this is not set to be a permanent appointment, as Binotto ultimately wants to fully refocus on leading the broader Audi project.
GPblog can also report that no internal timeframe has been set at at the German manufacturer, so it remains unclear how long Binotto will carry out the team principal role.
The Swiss-Italian will be in Japan this coming weekend, where he will speak with the international press after the Grand Prix.
Photo: Race Pictures
GPblog's latest F1 Paddock Update
ADVERTISEMENT
Want to stay up-to-date with what happens in the F1 paddock? Then GPblog's F1 Paddock Update video is the perfect way to do it. Subscribe to GPblog's YouTube channel and turn on notifications to never miss the latest episodes.
Read also
Don’t miss GPblog in Google
Mark us as a preferred source and our articles will appear more often at the top of Top Stories.
Add as a preferred / source on GoogleRead more about:
latest news
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Overview
Thursday 24.09.26
Practice 1
08:30 AM
Practice 2
12:00 PM
Friday 25.09.26
Practice 3
08:30 AM
Qualification
12:00 PM
Saturday 26.09.26
Race
11:00 AM
Thursday 24.09.26
Practice 1
Thu 08:30 AM
Practice 2
Thu 12:00 PM
Friday 25.09.26
Practice 3
Fri 08:30 AM
Qualification
Fri 12:00 PM
Saturday 26.09.26
Race
Sat 11:00 AM
Times are in your local timezone
Popular on GPBlog
1
F1 Today: Ferrari reveal Hamilton plan as another race abandons UAE
3264 times read
2
Formula 1 confirms major decision: races will be shorter from 2027
1288 times read
3
FIA calls up Red Bull in Baku after decision regarding Verstappen’s teammate
785 times read
4
Another major UAE race cancelled as F1 prepares for Abu Dhabi change
724 times read
F1-stand 2026
Season
| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | MercedesMER | 292 | |
2 | MercedesMER | 211 | |
3 | FerrariFER | 191 | |
4 | McLarenMCL | 186 | |
5 | FerrariFER | 167 | |
6 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 145 | |
7 | McLarenMCL | 120 | |
8 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 71 | |
9 | Racing BullsRCB | 59 | |
10 | AlpineALP | 41 |
Loading
