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Aston Martin Enters Suzuka Under Strain as Honda Vibration Problem Persists

Fernando Alonso will miss media day after the birth of his first child, with reserve Jak Crawford set for first practice.

The Japanese Grand Prix will see round 3 of the 2026 F1 season. Image: XPB Images
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Fernando Alonso will miss Thursday's media day in Suzuka ahead of the birth of his first child. Image: XPB Images
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Overview

  • Aston Martin said Wednesday that Alonso will arrive late to Japan for family reasons, skip his media duties, and hand FP1 to rookie Jak Crawford.
  • Honda trackside chief Shintaro Orihara said performance and energy management remain below target and the root cause of violent power‑unit vibrations is still not found.
  • The vibration issue has damaged batteries and limited power delivery from the hybrid system, which must deploy up to 350kW from the electric unit under the 2026 rules.
  • Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe is scheduled to address the team principals’ press conference at Suzuka on Friday as Aston Martin seeks its first race finish of 2026.
  • Under the new energy‑heavy rules Mercedes has set the pace, and a five‑week break after Japan could give Honda and Aston Martin a crucial window to work on fixes.