The Gulf axe presents a mixed bag of benefits and challenges for teams in difficulty.

      "Physically, I couldn’t carry on."

      The cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races may come as a welcome relief to some Formula 1 teams, although Pedro de la Rosa from Aston Martin cautions that the gap in the calendar may not be the lifeline some expect. Fernando Alonso had to retire from the Chinese GP, unable to feel his hands and feet due to the vibrations from the Honda power unit having taken their toll. "Physically, I couldn’t continue," the Spaniard explained. "I began to lose sensation in my hands and feet - it was an unpleasant feeling. There's a comparison to those vibrating machines in gyms; initially, ten seconds feels fine, thirty seconds is okay, but after forty minutes, you start to experience some loss of sensitivity - which is what happens to us."

      Honda’s trackside general manager Shintaro Orihara acknowledged the extent of the challenges ahead. "While there are signs of progress with the vibrations, ensuring driver comfort remains a hurdle and will be a key focus as we prepare for the Japanese GP," he stated. He noted that Sunday’s multiple retirements and issues at the start indicated that the 2026 regulations "will not be straightforward," but he emphasized that this does not excuse their reliability or performance issues.

      Conversely, Audi views the gap in April as an opportune moment. Team principal Jonathan Wheatley spoke candidly about the workload to come. "Mercedes and Ferrari have deployable packages. Everyone else is facing a tough phase," he remarked. "The April break should be beneficial for us. The winter was brief, and the last few months have been quite stressful. We need to revisit engine work in the next development stage - there are still aspects we can enhance."

      Pedro de la Rosa, an ambassador for Aston Martin, warned against considering the gap as a simple reprieve. Speaking to DAZN, the former F1 driver stressed that the lack of race weekends presents its own challenges. "We’re really missing laps and track activity," de la Rosa pointed out. "Indeed, you’re not in the public eye without racing, but you lose the opportunity to test solutions every weekend. The focus will be intense for Honda in Japan - but even if the races had taken place, it would have been the same. Additionally, the others will continue progressing as usual."