Honda claim Aston Martin also to blame for AMR26 extreme vibrations
Photo: Race Pictures
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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he has produced high-volume reporting on the sport’s biggest stories, alongside feature pieces including analysis and historical content.
Koji Wantanabe, President of Honda Racing Corporation (HRC), has suggested the Japanese engine supplier is not completely to blame for Aston Martin's nightmare 2026 start, claiming the vibration levels on the AMR26 are at an "acceptable level" before chassis integration.
Speaking to the media at Friday's press conference in Suzuka, the Honda boss also highlighted their late start to 2026 development compared to other teams, but said the AMR26's problems do not lay squarely with their job on the power unit.
Extreme battery vibrations have been the main concern for Aston Martin since the start of the season, with team principal Adrian Newey suggesting in Australia that drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were 'risking permanent nerve damage' should they complete a full race.
Vibration level 'perfectly acceptable' before AMR26 chassis integration, say Honda
Photo: Race Pictures
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When asked how Honda could go from winning multiple championships with Red Bull up to 2025 to the current situation at Aston Martin, Watanabe made sure to highlight the Silverstone-based team's role in the torrid start.
He said: "Yes, of course, we have enough experience until 2025. So, as I told you, the most difficult point is that we start the development a bit later than compared to the others."
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Notably, Wantanabe focused on his claim that the power unit vibrations were at a reasonable level during dyno testing, before being integrated into the Aston Martin's Newey-designed chassis.
"And also, the test on the dyno's vibration is acceptable level, but if once we integrate in the dyno, chassis, the vibration is getting much more than the test on the dyno.
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"So, of course, only PU, we cannot solve the problem only with the PU, so we are really closely together with Martin Aramco to solve the problem, not only the power unit, but also together with the chassis."
Alonso returns to Suzuka
Aston Martin has now confirmed to GPblog that Alonso is expected to hit the track for the second practice session in Suzuka.
The two-time world champion missed FP1 and Thursday's media day after his partner, Melissa Jimenez, reportedly gave birth to their first child.
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