The driver Fernando Alonso has reported that, during the first practice sessions of the Japanese Grand Prix, his Honda power unit showed a notable improvement in the absence of vibrations. However, this advance was short-lived, as the vibrations returned the following day.
Aston Martin and Honda have been working to solve the issues caused by the vibrations of the new engine both in the batteries and in the health of the drivers.
Alonso had experienced a loss of sensation in his hands and feet during the race prior to China, a problem he defined as worrying. To his surprise, the practice sessions on Friday at Suzuka showed that the vibrations were “80% better,” which led Honda to conclude that they had obtained useful data to tackle the problem.
Despite the improvement, Alonso added that the next day, extreme vibrations had returned to his car, the AMR26. “Yesterday I felt very good, there were practically no vibrations. Today I’ve felt the same vibrations as before, and nothing was changed overnight, so it’s hard to understand,” he stated.
The Spanish driver specified that, despite the physical discomfort this causes him, his position in qualifying was disappointing, placing him last among the drivers with a time more than 1.7 seconds below the Q2 cut. His teammate, Lance Stroll, pointed out that the combination of engine power and the car was limiting his performance, both on straight lines and in corners.
The Aston Martin drivers will face the challenge of completing a race without issues, a goal that is becoming increasingly complex considering the persistent vibrations. “I just hope to sleep well tonight and face the day with optimism,” Stroll concluded.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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