Fernando Alonso issues Aston Martin reality check despite Honda milestone finish

Honda was confident of reaching the Japanese Grand Prix chequered flag with Aston Martin, with a working battery, and it was a case of mission accomplished.

Only one car made the finish, when Aston Martin had targeted both, but Fernando Alonso sees it as a box ticked out of many required. He did though, stress the lack of pace which Aston Martin had at Suzuka. As teammate Lance Stroll put it, they were battling in “our own Aston Martin championship”.

Fernando Alonso urges Aston Martin improvement after Suzuka finish

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The Japanese Grand Prix did mark something of a milestone for Aston Martin and Honda, as a Grand Prix was completed for the first time.

Alonso reached the line in 18th, which saw Honda succeed in its mission to get an AMR26 to the end, battery in-tact.

However, Alonso pointed out that the lack of pace cannot be overlooked. Aston Martin were comfortably slowest of all teams in qualifying, and spent the Grand Prix at the back with Cadillac, Alonso finishing ahead of Valtteri Bottas but behind Sergio Perez.

Following the race, it was put to Alonso that making the chequered flag is a step in the right direction for Aston Martin and Honda.

He replied: “Yeah, definitely. There are many boxes to tick in the team, and today, I think completing the first race distance gave the team good information, good data that we need to analyse and to improve.

“The pace was not there any session on the weekend, and was not there in the race either. So we need to improve in many areas.”

Honda has been hard at work addressing the vibration issues which are impacting the battery in its power unit, and thus reliability.

Though ahead of the race weekend, Honda had still been chasing “solutions” to the cause of vibrations being felt by the drivers.

Alonso had retired his Aston Martin in China, stating that he was losing feeling in his hands and feet at one stage, due to these vibrations.

Alonso was asked for an update following the Japanese Grand Prix.

“It was better. Still there. Still some,” he said.

“I think it depends day by day and track to track. But today was manageable and allowed me to complete the race.”

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Unfortunately, Stroll did not complete the race in the sister AMR26.

He was told to retire the car after 30 laps.

“I think it’s a water pressure issue,” he said post-race.

“Still need to look into it, but that’s what we think it is right now.”

Stroll admitted that the car was “not great” up until that point, but he nonetheless enjoyed lapping Suzuka, in what he quipped was the Aston Martin category.

“I was having a fun race with Fernando in our own little championship, our own Aston Martin championship.

“I was enjoying the race, even though we were slow and we were fighting for the last positions.

“Suzuka, it’s always a nice track to drive, so I was enjoying my laps out there. Shame we couldn’t make it to the end.”

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