Overview
- The FIA raised its ADUO trigger from 8% to 10%, unlocking about €8 million and roughly 230 extra test‑bench hours for underperforming engine suppliers such as Honda.
- Aston Martin’s poor start has been linked to low internal‑combustion power and reliability plus difficult packaging of Honda’s unit into Adrian Newey’s AMR26 design.
- Honda’s Tetushi Kakuda said late requests from Newey changed peripheral hardware and a two‑level battery layout, which made integration harder.
- The team says a vibration fault was fixed by the Miami Grand Prix, which allowed race finishes and let Fernando Alonso pass Sergio Pérez after a six‑lap fight.
- Aston Martin is skipping small upgrades to stay within the cost cap and will aim for a bigger package assessed at the first FIA performance review after Canada.