Honda engineer got behind wheel to solve Aston problem

Honda has revealed that Aston Martin handed over a complete Formula 1 car and even allowed one of its senior engineers to drive it in a bid to solve one of the biggest problems of the opening phase of the 2026 season.

The new Aston Martin-Honda works partnership is enduring a disastrous start to the year, but among the most pressing of the early issues was the severe vibrations generated by the car and power unit package.

Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe says the issue is now largely under control.

"After Suzuka, we brought the Aston Martin car to HRC Sakura, and we jointly analysed the vibrations and worked on countermeasures," he told as-web.jp.

"The countermeasures included some hardware changes and software improvements. As a result, the vibrations were basically resolved, and there were no problems in the driver evaluations from the Miami GP to Monaco GP, so it has been largely resolved.

"That was the biggest achievement of these past two months."

A key part of the solution involved Honda’s trackside manager and chief engineer Shintaro Orihara actually driving the Aston Martin at Honda’s Sakura facility in Japan.

"I also went to see what they were doing," Watanabe revealed.

"Aston Martin engineers were there and watched Orihara and the others actually driving the car. At Honda, the ’Three Realities Principle’ which Soichiro Honda advocated from the very beginning of the company is still alive and well.

"Unless we can experience the vibrations that drivers are complaining about by actually driving the car, not just looking at data, and face the reality ourselves, the problem will not be solved.

"I would like to thank Aston Martin for understanding this and for their cooperation."

Watanabe admitted it is highly unusual for engineers to be given the opportunity to drive racing machinery, particularly in Formula 1.

"Basically, opportunities to drive a racing car are not that easy to come by," he said. "It’s rare even in Super Formula, and even rarer in Formula 1.

"Even in testing production cars, it’s basically only test drivers who get the chance to drive them. It’s extremely rare for engineers to actually drive them like this."

Update: Honda clarifies Aston Martin vibration story

Honda has since clarified reports that one of its senior engineers drove an Aston Martin Formula 1 car in Japan to help solve the team’s vibration problems.

Following reporting of comments made by Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe, a Honda F1 spokesperson clarified that the original Japanese remarks had been mistranslated.

"The engineer sat in the car, he did not drive it," the spokesperson said.

The clarification relates to Honda’s efforts to resolve the severe vibration issues that plagued the Aston Martin-Honda package during the opening phase of the 2026 season.

Watanabe had explained that HRC Trackside General Manager and Chief Engineer Shintaro Orihara was involved in evaluating the problem at Honda’s Sakura facility in Japan, leading to reports that he had actually driven the car.

Asked how engineers could experience the vibrations if the car was not being driven, the Honda spokesperson explained: "The car was on a test bench."

Honda says the vibration issues have now been largely resolved following a combination of hardware and software changes introduced after the Japanese GP at Suzuka.