Stroll lays bare Aston Martin's ‘most painful’ issue ahead of Japanese GP

The Canadian driver, asked about the AMR26’s struggles and how uncomfortable it is to drive, explained that the current issues limit him to just half a race distance in the car before highlighting what he calls the most painful aspect of the team’s ongoing challenges.

“I think we can complete like half the race, but then also we just have reliability issues. It’s very uncomfortable,” Stroll explained.

“But at the end of the day, we just want to be much more competitive as a team. That’s the most painful thing for everyone. We’re all pushing very hard to just bring more performance and get back in the fight where we want to be, which is up at the front of the pack. So that’s everyone’s focus, and it’s just about getting there as quickly as we can,” the 27-year-old concluded.

The Aston Martin team’s start to the campaign has largely unfolded in a far departure from what many had envisaged, with the team yet to complete a Grand Prix or a sprint amid the lingering issues it faces with its Honda Power Unit.

Earlier, Aston Martin’s trackside chief engineer, Mike Krack, expressed optimism that the Japanese Grand Prix could help the team address its lingering power unit woes.

Krack detailed how the proximity to engine manufacturer Honda and the possibility of having what he describes as a larger setup at the Grand Prix could prove pivotal to solving many of the issues faced.

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