Lance Stroll: Aston Martin AMR26 ‘not the rippiest beast’ as Honda not only issue

While Aston Martin are “losing huge amounts of time” down the straights, Lance Stroll does not believe that the Honda power unit is fully behind the team’s struggles.

Honda went into its home race, the Japanese Grand Prix, accepting that engine performance remained short of where it was desired to be. Yet, Stroll described the Aston Martin AMR26 as “not the rippiest beast in the corners”. He believes Aston Martin’s struggles come from a “combination” of car and engine.

Lance Stroll says Aston Martin AMR26 and Honda both at fault

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Suzuka was a further bruising experience for Aston Martin and Honda, in what has been a challenging start to F1 life for this partnership.

The AMR26 proved the slowest car over a single lap, though Fernando Alonso did make the chequered flag ahead of Valtteri Bottas’ Cadillac come race day.

After the prior round in China, Alonso had suggested that turning down the Honda engine RPM was among the tactics being used to manage vibrations being felt by the drivers.

Stroll was therefore asked at Suzuka, after qualifying, how much greatly Aston Martin’s issues were linked to the Honda engine being turned down.

“I think it’s a combination of power unit and the car,” he suggested in response.

“We’re definitely losing huge amounts of time on the straights, but we’re not the rippiest beast in the corners.

“So it’s a combination of things.”

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Stroll confirmed that Aston Martin has a “plan” of action, and “time will tell” how effective it proves to be.

“I mean, progress in F1 is never fast enough,” said Stroll.

“So right now, there’s no progress, because we’ve been in China and then straight to Japan, and we haven’t had much time to throw things at the car in terms of development.

“But we have a plan for the next few months, and what that brings in lap time, time will tell.”

Honda went into Japan confident that it had addressed its battery vibration issues to the extent of making a race finish possible.

That was achieved. Stroll retired from the race, but due to a water pressure issue.

As for the vibrations still being felt by the Aston Martin drivers, Honda has suggested that these become much worse when its PU is fitted into the AMR26.

Aston Martin’s chief trackside officer Mike Krack had said, ahead of the Japanese GP race weekend getting underway, that measures has been put in place, ones that would be tested at Suzuka.

Stroll was asked after Friday practice whether the vibrations felt any better.

“Still some work to do on that front,” was Stroll’s verdict.

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