Honda is ramping up its preparations ahead of Miami

The start of the 2026 season has been a real struggle for Honda and Aston Martin. Between performance deficits and reliability issues, the AMR26 quickly plunged the project into uncertainty. But behind the scenes, the Japanese engine manufacturer has been hard at work. And while an immediate turnaround hasn't materialized, the first signs of improvement are beginning to emerge.

The long break between Suzuka and Miami provided valuable time for in-depth work. “The period between races was long but intense, with a lot of work carried out in collaboration with Aston Martin in both Japan and the UK,” explains Shintaro Orihara, Honda's chief engineer. This time was used to the fullest to analyze a problem that had become central: vibrations. These vibrations severely hampered the start of the season, limiting track time and obscuring the true potential of the car. Faced with this, Honda opted for an unprecedented approach. “After this race, we seized the opportunity to keep an AMR26 on-site to conduct static tests at Sakura for the first time, focusing our efforts on reducing vibrations to improve reliability,” Orihara explains. A rigorous method to tackle the problem at its root.

Progress has been made, albeit modest. “We've made some progress, which allows us to implement new countermeasures in Miami and later in the season,” he continues. Technical adjustments have been validated, with a clear goal of stabilizing the system before considering any performance gains. Because Honda refuses to make any excessive promises. “Realistically, these improvements won't have a visible impact on the power unit's performance on the track, so we shouldn't expect any major leaps forward,” warns the engineer. A clear-eyed assessment that stands in stark contrast to the often-high expectations in Formula 1.

Among the drivers, the sentiment is shared. Fernando Alonso emphasizes that Honda “has worked very hard” to fix the issues, while hoping to find themselves in “a better position” in the upcoming races. The Spaniard stresses that the top priority is to restore reliability and control vibrations before fully exploiting the car's potential. Lance Stroll shares this caution. “It doesn't happen overnight,” the Canadian reminds us, aware that rebuilding will take time. For now, the goal remains to solidify the foundations. Honda is thus moving forward methodically, far from making sensational announcements. While Miami is unlikely to mark a revolution on the track, the work underway could lay the groundwork for a sustainable turnaround.