Honda has confirmed that complications encountered on Thursday will restrict Aston Martin to only short stints on the final day of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain.
The Japanese manufacturer’s return to Formula 1 with the Silverstone-based team has faced challenges during the latter stages of development. Growing pains with the new power unit, which is exclusive to Aston Martin, have limited running compared to rivals. Lance Stroll revealed that the team has completed around 400 fewer laps than competitors and indicated that roughly four seconds of performance still need to be found.
Fernando Alonso completed 68 laps at the Bahrain International Circuit on Thursday. His best time of 1:37.472 was 4.6 seconds slower than the fastest time of the day, set by Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli.
In a statement on February 20, Honda said a battery-related issue during Alonso’s final run affected the team’s test programme. The company has since been conducting simulations at its HRC Sakura facility in Japan.
Due to the issue and a shortage of power unit parts, Honda confirmed that Aston Martin’s final day of testing will be limited to short stints only. Reports also clarified that Chief Strategy Officer Andy Cowell is regularly visiting Japan to assist preparations ahead of the season opener in Melbourne.