What we've learned about Honda's 'abnormal' F1 engine problem.
Honda's reliability problems in Formula 1 testing have been attributed to abnormal vibrations that damaged the battery system although a root cause has not been identified.
Feb 27, 2026
Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Speaking at an annual F1 pre-season briefing with Japanese media, not an emergency press conference as has been interpreted, Honda Racing Corporation leaders Koji Watanabe and Ikuo Takeishi admitted to suffering a "number of issues" in Bahrain, the most severe of which relates to the battery. Honda observed abnormal vibrations that caused damage to the battery, although it is not sure whether the battery system itself is the initial problem.

What Honda can see is the battery pack is being shaken because the structure it is attached to is vibrating more severely than expected. Honda is investigating a combination of factors that likely caused these vibrations to emerge and running virtual track testing at its Sakura base with a chassis, engine and gearbox combined, but is yet to pinpoint the root cause.

"If we could identify a single cause, it would be easier to fix, but because multiple linked factors generate the vibration, we don't know whether fixing just one will solve it," said Takeishi. "There is a possibility it takes time." "The wall we face as a result of these tests is certainly a high one," said Watanabe. "At this stage, our priority is to solve the current issue," said Takeishi. We are looking ahead, but right now we're fully focused on the immediate problems. Whether we introduce a major update or not is something to be discussed later."

‘Abnormal vibrations’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/h...ot-identified/


Adrian Newey asked Honda to change ‘almost everything’ when he joined Aston Martin
27 Feb 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Adrian Newey forced Honda to overhaul their 2026 power unit vision when he joined Aston Martin last year, according to the Japanese manufacturer. The brand-new partnership between Aston Martin and Honda got off to a disastrous start during pre-season testing. A succession of technical problems severely restricted the AMR26’s mileage and top speed. However, blame cannot solely be directed at the engine suppliers.

Newey’s aggressive chassis design has caused overheating, which is why the Aston Martin is now ‘riddled’ with cooling vents. A report this week suggested Newey was ‘shackling’ Honda’s efforts to improve by adopting an uncompromising philosophy. After leaving Red Bull in 2024, Newey wasn’t eligible to start work at Aston Martin until March 2025. By that point, engine development was already well advanced. Satoshi Tsunoda, the general manager of Honda’s F1 engine project, has revealed that the legendary designer ordered sweeping changes after his arrival.

There were indications even before testing that Honda were behind schedule, and perhaps this was the reason why. “Since Mr. Newey joined Aston Martin in March 2025, almost everything we’ve done up until now has changed,” Tsunoda explained, via Autosport Web. “We haven’t changed the engine structure, of course, but everything else, including the peripheral equipment and how it’s attached to the car body, has changed. Newey asked us, ‘Can’t you do it this way?’ and we were running out of time.”

‘Ordered sweeping changes’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/adr...-aston-martin/


Bernie Ecclestone warns Lawrence Stroll that Ferrari prove you ‘can’t buy’ the F1 title
27 Feb 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Bernie Ecclestone feels ‘sorry’ for Lawrence Stroll after Aston Martin’s dire start to 2026. Former F1 supremo Ecclestone likens Aston Martin’s early struggles with the AMR26, which seldom produced many laps in Bahrain owing to Honda’s reliability problems, to Ferrari and their 18-year wait to win the F1 drivers’ championship again, despite their raft of resources.

Ecclestone told Blick: “The fact that there’s always a missing piece in the title puzzle is best illustrated by Ferrari. They’ve been searching for the missing pieces for almost 20 years, despite having the best prerequisites, drivers and the necessary money.”

“You can’t buy the Formula 1 world championship title. If everything doesn’t come together, you will spend your whole life chasing that big success. That’s why I feel sorry for Lawrence Stroll.”

‘Title puzzle is best illustrated by Ferrari’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/ber...-the-f1-title/


Martin Brundle says Aston Martin are in ‘dire trouble’ and raises Honda cost-cap concern
27 Feb 2026
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Martin Brundle says Aston Martin and Honda are facing a ‘snowball effect’ after what he called a ‘dire’ pre-season for the new partnership. “As you said, new everything,” Brundle told Simon Lazenby. “It’s clear to me that the correlation between the wind tunnel, the CFD and the stopwatch on the race track looks like it’s miles out. The car didn’t exactly look stuck to the road when it was running.”

“Honda were pulling out, they came back in, they seemed a long way behind on battery recovery and reliability. They’re churning through their cost cap on the motor side already. The big problem they have is that there are four teams charging round with the Mercedes power unit. Can you imagine, after nine days of testing, how much data Mercedes have?”

“Ferrari have three teams. Audi have done well, but they’ve only got themselves. Honda have only got Aston Martin. If the Aston Martin isn’t going round the track, which it wasn’t by and large, they’ve got no data. It’s a snowball effect for them, and they’re in dire trouble at Aston Martin. I’m sure they’ve got the resource and the brainpower to do something about that, but it’s going to take time.”

‘Snowball effect’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/mar...t-cap-concern/


Aston crisis deepens, Stroll pressured on and off track
27 FEB 2026
GrandPrix.com

Aston Martin's difficult start to 2026 has been compounded by serious turmoil in its road car division, intensifying scrutiny on team owner Lawrence Stroll. On track, Aston Martin's new era - built around Adrian Newey, Fernando Alonso and a works Honda power unit - has so far failed to deliver. Sky Deutschland pundit Ralf Schumacher believes the pressure is mounting.

The German warned that internal tensions could become the bigger danger. “They must avoid destroying each other internally. This will be a huge test of patience. Alonso is probably enormously frustrated. Lance isn't someone who stays cheerful when things don't go his way. And Adrian is certainly disappointed - he imagined it would all be much better. The pressure is enormous.”

“Must avoid destroying each other internally”;

https://www.grandprix.com/news/aston...off-track.html


Adrian Newey has no immediate solution for his Aston Martin concept failing to meet expectations
25 Feb 2026
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Newey’s design is hurting Honda’s efforts to improve Aston Martin’s engine, as well, as the Japanese brand agreed to build their power unit around the F1 design guru’s concept. But Aston Martin have not sufficiently designed their cooling for the engine and its peripherals. Honda’s reliability problems were the dominant reason why Aston Martin struggled to post many laps during the Bahrain test. Also, Aston Martin face a six-month timeframe to build a new gearbox, as they even encountered a flurry of problems with their first in-house design.

Aston Martin previously bought their gearboxes from Mercedes as part of their power unit supply deal, which the team scrapped to link up with Honda from 2026. But Aston Martin’s gearbox repeatedly broke, selected the wrong gears and caused rear-end locking in Bahrain. Newey and owner Lawrence Stroll will hope Aston Martin get on top of their issues quickly, as their early problems to start 2026 are making the team less and less appealing. It is said that Max Verstappen has no interest in joining Aston Martin in 2027 after seeing their woes.

‘No immediate solution’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/adr...-expectations/