Fernando Alonso’s sprint‑qualifying crash on the Zandvoort front stretch marked the first clear sign that Honda’s new V‑6 specification is still fighting on driveability.
Engine Upgrade Hinders Performance
Both Aston Martin drivers received the second‑generation Honda unit before the sprint trial. The Japanese engine firm had already spent the first half of the season tuning the design, but the spec 2 change brings new combustion dynamics that alter throttle response and braking behavior.
Alonso’s car dropped out of the front of the field after a heavy vibration burst at Turn 1, while a sub‑optimal lower‑drag setting left him unable to open the rear wing in the required low‑downforce mode.
Stroll, although finishing 19th, described the power unit as “still stranded in a driveability issue” that his crew must decode.
On‑Track Drama in Sprint Qualifying
In Friday’s sprint qualifying, the pair struggled to match the pace of their rivals, finishing 22nd and 19th respectively. Alonso described the car as “difficult to stop” when the throttle was still open, a symptom of the engine over‑delivering during the braking phase.
Helming the CAD tuning, Aston Martin crew chief noted the sudden wind at the circuit was the same for all teams, but “we’ll go through everything tonight, look at the data and try to make some improvements for tomorrow.”
Honda Revisits Driveability
Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s F1 project leader, told Motorsport.com that the new specification “will change the combustion characteristics” and therefore required a re‑examination of the driveability work already completed earlier in the season.
Orihara added that the cornering phase would feel different once the new engine is fully integrated, reiterating the need for further development before the next race.
With the upgrade now under way, both teams are poised to tackle the lingering set‑up challenges as the season marches toward its next European stop.
"