News Summary
- Honda believes the new power unit should be better suited to Madrid after struggling with Aston Martin’s lack of straight-line performance at Monza.
- The Japanese manufacturer will focus on improving drivability and energy management during the Spanish GP weekend.
- Honda has gathered data from Zandvoort and Monza since introducing its second engine specification and plans to use those lessons at the new Madring circuit.
Honda is optimistic that Aston Martin’s power unit package will perform better at the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend after struggling with the long straights at Monza. According to Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s general manager of trackside operations and chief engineer, the manufacturer will focus on improving drivability and energy management at the new Madrid circuit.
Fernando Alonso scored two valuable points at the Dutch GP, but expectations were considerably lower for the Italian round. Aston Martin introduced a new version of Honda’s power unit at Zandvoort, but Monza’s demands placed particular emphasis on straight-line speed — an area where the team remained well behind its rivals.
The prediction proved accurate. Alonso and Lance Stroll were both eliminated in Q1 at Monza, with their qualifying times more than 1.5s slower than Carlos Sainz’s time, which was enough to reach Q2.
Neither Aston Martin reached the chequered flag on Sunday (6), as both Alonso and Stroll retired from the race.
The team now immediately faces a different challenge in Madrid. The new Madring circuit is located in the Valdebebas district around the IFEMA exhibition centre and combines purpose-built sections with public roads.
The 5.4km layout features several low-speed corners, but the cars are expected to reach speeds of up to 340 km/h on the circuit’s straights.
Honda believes those characteristics could give Aston Martin a better opportunity to exploit the latest power unit.
Honda sees Madrid as a better fit
Orihara said Honda will use the lessons from its first two races with the second specification of the power unit to improve the package in Madrid.
“This is our first visit to the Madring, and it is a circuit with mixed characteristics, as it combines a street circuit with a permanent facility. As always, drivability will be important,” Orihara said in a Honda statement.
“In general, we believe Madrid will suit our package better, and we will work throughout the weekend to put ourselves in the best possible position with the resources available to us.”
Honda introduced the second specification of its 2026 power unit at Zandvoort, where Alonso finished ninth and scored two points. The subsequent race at Monza exposed some of the package’s limitations, particularly when maximum straight-line performance was required.
Orihara said the manufacturer will therefore take the lessons from both circuits into the Spanish GP.
“We have competed in two races since introducing the second specification of the power unit, and they had different characteristics. This week, we will take what we learned to Madrid, especially regarding drivability and energy management,” he said.
The latest Honda specification is particularly important because the Japanese manufacturer is preparing to become Aston Martin’s works power-unit partner under Formula 1’s new 2026 regulations. Honda has already identified the main areas of focus for its Aston Martin engine programme as the partnership develops.
Aston Martin has also endured a difficult start to the new regulations, with Alonso recently describing the team as “back to square one” with the Honda engine.
The Spanish GP will therefore provide another useful benchmark for both Honda and Aston Martin, particularly because the Madring combines slow corners that place greater emphasis on traction and drivability with sections where power and energy deployment remain important.
Honda will now have its third race weekend with the latest specification to evaluate whether the changes can deliver a more competitive package.
The Spanish Grand Prix takes place from September 11-13 at Madrid’s new Madring circuit, the 14th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all sessions and activities from the Spanish GP weekend.
FAQ
Will Honda’s new F1 engine perform better in Madrid?
Honda believes Madrid should suit its package better than Monza. The Japanese manufacturer expects the mixed characteristics of the new circuit to provide a better environment for improving drivability and energy management.
What happened to Aston Martin at the 2026 Italian GP?
Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll were both eliminated in Q1 at Monza and subsequently retired from the race. Aston Martin struggled particularly with the circuit’s long straights and straight-line performance.
When is the 2026 Spanish Grand Prix?
The Spanish Grand Prix takes place from September 11-13 at the new Madring circuit in Madrid. It is the 14th round of the 2026 Formula 1 season and the venue’s first F1 Grand Prix.
