Newey alerts that vibrations in the Aston could pose a risk of injury to drivers.
Adrian Newey has cautioned that Aston Martin's struggling 2026 car could pose a physical threat to its drivers if the team overexerts itself during the Australian GP. Arriving in Melbourne alongside Honda (HRC) president Koji Watanabe, Newey stated that the vibrations known to have harmed the power unit's battery during testing also present a potential safety risk for the drivers.
"Fernando believes he can't manage more than 25 consecutive laps without risking injury to his hands," Newey noted, referring to Fernando Alonso. "Lance feels he can't handle more than 15 laps. So, we need to be realistic. We'll be quite limited in the number of laps until we can pinpoint the causes of the vibrations and address them at the source."
This revelation compounds earlier concerns expressed by Honda last week regarding abnormal vibrations from the new power unit damaging the hybrid battery, a scenario that Honda engineers labeled as "dangerous." Watanabe mentioned that measures taken at the Sakura factory might alleviate the issue, but complete resolution isn’t yet achievable.
"During the Bahrain tests, we encountered unexpected vibrations that harmed the batteries," he stated. "We couldn't achieve the planned mileage. Engineers from HRC and Aston Martin are collaborating to find solutions. We believe we've put measures in place for this weekend, but we won't know their effectiveness until we see them in real track conditions."
According to Honda, the recent modifications have significantly decreased vibration levels on the dyno; however, the real test will occur at Albert Park. Despite the ongoing difficulties, Newey maintained that the core design of the Aston Martin holds promise.
"When I evaluate our package, I don't feel we've overlooked anything," he remarked. "I believe the car has tremendous development potential. We have an ambitious development plan, and I am confident we can reach the front at some point this season."
Nonetheless, he acknowledged that Aston Martin will commence the year trailing the leaders. "In Melbourne, we will be somewhat behind," Newey said. "I’d estimate we are the fifth car. The chassis likely has Q3 potential. As for how far behind the front, I'm not sure—perhaps seven tenths, maybe a second."
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