Aston Martin limits laps in Australia over vibration fears

Concerns over severe vibrations in their new car have forced Aston Martin F1 Team to consider limiting driver stints during the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, as the team continues to battle reliability problems ahead of the race weekend.

Team principal Adrian Newey revealed on Thursday that vibrations generated by the Honda power unit are travelling through the car’s chassis and reaching the steering wheel, creating discomfort and potential health risks for drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

Speaking to reporters at Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne, Newey said the issue has already caused several mechanical concerns, with components such as mirrors and tail lights loosening during running.

However, the larger worry lies with the physical strain on the drivers.

According to Newey, Alonso believes he can safely complete no more than about 25 consecutive laps before risking permanent nerve damage in his hands due to the constant vibration transmitted through the steering wheel. Stroll, meanwhile, estimates his limit to be around 15 laps under the same conditions.

Because of those concerns, Aston Martin may be forced to carefully manage track time during the race, significantly restricting how long each driver remains on track in a single stint until engineers can isolate the root cause.

The vibration problems have already hampered the team’s preparations for the new Formula One season. Reliability setbacks during winter testing limited the number of laps the cars were able to complete, leaving the team short of valuable data before the opening round.

Newey said engineers have managed to make some progress in reducing the impact of vibrations on the car’s battery system — a key component that had been affecting performance during testing. Protecting the battery pack became a priority because it plays a critical role in the power unit’s operation and overall reliability.

Despite those efforts, the broader issue of vibrations travelling through the chassis remains unresolved.

The Honda engine programme, managed by Honda Racing Corporation, is also working to address the problem. Its president, Koji Watanabe, acknowledged the challenge but declined to provide a timeline for when a complete solution might be found.

Watanabe said the engineers are pushing to resolve the issue as quickly as possible but admitted the complexity of the problem makes it difficult to predict when a meaningful fix will be ready.

Aston Martin heads into the new campaign hoping to recover from a difficult 2025 season, when the team finished seventh in the constructors’ championship after struggling with pace and consistency throughout the year. The vibration issue now adds another challenge as the squad begins its 2026 campaign in Melbourne.