Honda reveals Alonso engine findings as review launched

Fernando Alonso complained of an engine issue at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, before seemingly retiring from the race of his own will.

However, Honda believes that engine to be “healthy” with no issues appearing on its data. Nonetheless, a further investigation was launched following the race.

Fernando Alonso engine ‘healthy’ by Honda’s numbers

Aston Martin recorded a second double DNF in its last three at the Azerbaijan GP, as reliability gremlins crept back in.

After Lance Stroll had retired with a suspected water pressure issue, Alonso believed that he was suffering from a Honda engine problem as he played pass and repass with Valtteri Bottas.

Eventually, Alonso declared over the radio, “I think we will box at the end of this lap. I’m sorry.” He did so, retiring the sole remaining AMR26.

Following that DNF, he told PlanetF1.com and other media outlets: “I passed the Cadillacs, Sergio [Perez] overtook me and then he pulled away. Then I was fighting with Valtteri for a few laps.

“I think we passed and repassed like five or six times, and at the end we had to stop. We suspect an engine problem. We had a lack of speed on the straight, that it was anomalous. We have to study and see why.”

Honda studied – but found nothing.

“On the data we have now, we have checked all the data. At the moment the engine is okay. We don’t find any issue on the data,” Honda’s chief engineer Shintaro Orihara told PlanetF1.com and others.

“But we will check carefully in the maintenance work, send the data back to the factory, and they will also check carefully.

“So at the moment, we don’t have any issue, but we will check carefully.

“We need to check carefully on the engine power and also energy management and also maybe GPS-wise.”

Alonso’s engine for Baku was a new one, his fifth internal combustion engine of the season.

Orihara revealed that Honda had responded to an FP2 alarm on its power unit. But, after introducing a fix, the engine ran smoothly for the rest of the race weekend, according to the Japanese manufacturer’s information.

“So we introduced the new engine. Then in FP2, we found an irregular signal on our oil system.

“Then because it was a new engine, we decided not to carry out [the run plan], to protect the new engine.

“We did an inspection after the session, and we found the cause and we replaced the part.

“Then FP3, quali and race, we didn’t seen any issue on the engine. So I believe that new engine is healthy. We will carry that engine for the rest of the season.”

More on Fernando Alonso from PlanetF1.com

Fernando Alonso F1 future confirmed in new announcement

Did Alonso retire himself from Azerbaijan Grand Prix?

Aston Martin sits P10 in the Constructors’ standings by virtue of the three points Alonso has accumulated via his P10 in Monaco and P9 at the final Dutch Grand Prix.

Alonso announced ahead of this week’s Bahrain Grand Prix that he will remain with Aston Martin for F1 2027 as part of an unchanged driver line-up.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

Want to be the first to know exclusive information from the F1 paddock? Join our broadcast channel on WhatsApp to get the scoop on the latest developments from our team of accredited journalists.

You can also subscribe to the PlanetF1 YouTube channel for exclusive features, hear from our paddock journalists with stories from the heart of Formula 1 and much more!

Read next: Winners and losers from the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix