Aston Martin's Bahrain Test Reveals Deep Worries
Aston Martin’s AMR26 lagged 4‑4.5 seconds behind Bahrain leaders, exposing chassis, gearbox and cooling flaws, a Honda partnership and team tension, with gains expected in second half of the season.
Aston Martin’s new AMR26 was a wake‑up call in Bahrain, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll consistently 4‑4.5 seconds off the leaders and internal reports of tension and a strained Honda partnership.
Why it matters:
The car was billed as Adrian Newey’s comeback showcase and a justification for the team’s massive spend. A weak debut threatens points, jeopardises Honda’s power‑unit programme and pressures owner Lawrence Stroll for a quick return.
The details:
- Lap gap: Fastest AMR26 lap ≈4 seconds slower than Red Bull/Ferrari in the three‑day test.
- Driver view: Alonso and Stroll both called the car “four‑plus seconds off the leaders” and flagged balance problems.
- Engine: Honda’s new power unit is behind schedule, and cultural differences have hampered effective collaboration with the chassis team.
- New components: First in‑house gearbox and a compact cooling package have forced compromises in reliability and aerodynamic efficiency.
What's next:
Mike Krack says the team is drawing up a priority list for cooling, gearbox reliability and engine mapping before a second Bahrain test and the Melbourne opener. Alonso remains cautiously optimistic, but insiders say any real progress is likely only in the second half of the season.