Honda’s president has released a heartfelt ‘never give up’ video. Noble stuff. Less noble: he also admitted the planned engine upgrade won’t dramatically change the situation. At some point, the inspiring messaging and the brutal reality have to meet, and for Aston Martin and Honda in 2026, that meeting is not going well.
One Point. Slower Than Cadillac. ‘Worst Car and Worst Engine.’
After seven rounds, Aston Martin sit second from last in the constructors’ standings, ahead only of Cadillac, a brand-new team that was expected to struggle. In Barcelona, the quickest AMR26 was a full second off the slowest Cadillac in Q1. Fernando Alonso, who has seen everything in his career, called it the worst car and worst engine he has experienced in F1. That is a sentence that should be framed and hung in every office at Silverstone and Sakura.
Alonso’s solitary Monaco point was inherited after a penalty reshuffled the order. It was survival, not performance. Both cars retired in Barcelona.
Honda’s Honest Admission Cuts Through the PR Gloss
HRC president Koji Watanabe released a video message drawing parallels with Honda’s painful 2015 campaign alongside McLaren, insisting the same fighting spirit will turn things around. The sentiment is genuine. The timeline, however, is vague.
“It will not dramatically change the situation overnight.” – Koji Watanabe
That quote, about the upcoming upgrade package, tells you everything. Honda has received its two ADUO (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) allocations from the FIA, a system designed specifically for power units more than 10% off the pace of the best. The upgrade is reportedly targeting the Dutch Grand Prix. Watanabe’s own words suggest fans should temper their expectations significantly.
As our earlier piece on Honda’s admission of their 2026 struggle noted, a late development start and new partnerships across engine, fuel, and lubricants have compounded every problem.
Steiner Has No Time for Platitudes
Guenther Steiner, never one to dress things up, was characteristically direct. “What Aston Martin is doing right now is simply unacceptable. It no longer meets F1 standards.” He also suggested Honda may need more than ADUO to claw back the deficit. Hard to argue.
Newey, Barcelona, and the Sound of Silence
The team is banking on a major upgrade package at Spa, which Adrian Newey has been central to developing. Team boss Mike Krack admitted the problems span every area of the car, not just the power unit. “If it were just one thing, it would be fairly simple,” he said. It is not simple.
Pedro de la Rosa’s warm words about Newey’s genius are probably accurate. Right now, though, Alonso and Lance Stroll need a faster car, not a compelling anecdote about a 2005 front wing adjustment.
The Long Game Is Fine, But Someone Has to Drive It Now
Honda and Aston Martin keep invoking the long term. Lawrence Stroll is reportedly furious. Both drivers are suffering. Watanabe’s video closes with a plea for fans to keep fighting alongside them. It is hard not to respect the commitment. It is equally hard to ignore that the team with all that investment, those facilities, and arguably the greatest designer in F1 history is currently being lapped by Cadillac. The Spa upgrade had better be something special. If it is not, the platitudes will wear thin fast.
