Jenson Button has raised concerns about Aston Martin’s lack of meaningful running so far.
While the 2026 F1 season is only just starting, it’s already looking like a tough road ahead for Aston Martin. The team struggled to get any significant mileage in during the opening sessions at Albert Park.
Lance Stroll managed just three laps in FP1, while Fernando Alonso didn’t even leave the garage because of power unit issues.
Both drivers got some time on track later in the day, but their lap times were still over four seconds off Oscar Piastri, who led the afternoon session.
Button asks for understanding as Aston Martin work through tough start
Speaking on Sky Sports F1 ahead of the second practice, Button spoke about where things stand for Aston Martin early in the season.
The 2009 Formula 1 world champion pointed out that with so little track time, there’s not much the team can take away in terms of progress or solutions.
Still, he emphasised the need for patience, noting that everyone at Silverstone is putting in a serious effort to turn things around.
Button said: “It is not an easy position for Aston Martin. Coming into this season, there is a lot of excitement for every team with regulation changes, and trying to do the best they can with the changes.”
“Adrian Newey is designing the car, and it is a works Honda team. But it has not gone the way they initially expected it to. I think when you arrive here, and you are only getting three laps in the first practice, you are not learning anything. You cannot get any reliability work done if you are only doing three laps.
“It is a tough situation for them to be in, but everyone has got to be a little bit patient with new regulations. They are working very hard to try to improve.”
Honda engine vibrations causing headaches for Aston Martin
The primary concern Aston Martin are dealing with this season is persistent vibrations coming from their Honda engine. This has a knock-on effect on the battery, which struggles to reach full charge because of it.
The vibrations aren’t just a technical issue — they’re also affecting the drivers directly. Fernando Alonso has said he can only manage about 25 laps before risking nerve damage, while Lance Stroll thinks it’s even less for him, closer to 15 laps.
Given the potential long-term health risks for their drivers, there are reports that Aston Martin has started asking for permission to miss several races.
All signs point back to the Honda engine as the root of these problems, and early indications suggest it could take months before any meaningful fix is in place.
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