Honda ‘Plan B’ offers hope for Aston Martin

Feb.20 (GMM) Aston Martin’s disastrous 2026 pre-season has descended further into frustration as Bahrain nears its end – though faint signs of hope are emerging behind the scenes.

Every day of testing has been punctuated by setbacks, with the new Honda power unit widely regarded in the paddock as the team’s main Achilles heel under the 2026 regulations.

Team ambassador Pedro de la Rosa admitted it had been another difficult session.

“It has been a difficult day, especially because we had a very ambitious training plan with many things that we had left untested,” he told DAZN.

“In the end, it was a problem with the power unit. They’re still investigating what happened; it’s part of the job.”

He attempted to put the situation into perspective.

“These days you go to train here in Bahrain and it’s like a race. Then you have a problem with the power unit and it seems like you have to issue a press release. In the past, nobody cared – it was just part of the job.”

Fernando Alonso’s final day of running was particularly compromised.

“It’s a shame because it was Fernando’s last day. Tomorrow will be a compressed and ambitious day,” de la Rosa said. “We’re going to Australia with a lot of unfinished business.”

Among the missed items is no running at all on the C4 compound, no proper qualifying simulations, and no meaningful practice starts.

“Ultimately, what you try to do is ensure that both drivers are as well prepared as possible for Australia, and today we haven’t given that to Fernando,” he admitted.

However, Spanish commentator Antonio Lobato reported that Honda is already working flat-out in Sakura on a potential upgraded ‘B-spec’ engine.

“Honda is already working in Sakura to prepare that B engine option,” Lobato said.

Under the FIA’s balance-of-performance provisions, a revised specification could potentially be introduced as early as the seventh race if it is shown to close a deficit of more than two percent to the leading power unit.

Andy Cowell, whose position at Aston had been the subject of speculation, is reportedly now in Japan assisting Honda directly.

“He has changed roles and is in Japan helping Honda’s work so that this new engine can be more competitive for Aston Martin,” Lobato revealed.

There is also talk that the car heading to Melbourne will look very different from the troubled Bahrain test version.

“The car for Australia is going to be completely different; it will have almost nothing to do with this one,” Lobato claimed. “Adrian Newey has everything ready to introduce some pretty significant solutions.”

He even cited bold internal confidence.

“Adrian Newey says that in six, seven or eight races, aerodynamically, he is convinced that it will be the best chassis on the grid.”

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