Honda makes crucial engine fix for Aston Martin ahead of Monza – Honda has introduced a further engine-control update for Aston Martin ahead of the Italian Grand Prix after its latest power-unit specification delivered the expected performance gain but created unexpected drivability problems at Zandvoort.
Aston Martin arrived at the Dutch Grand Prix with an updated Honda power unit designed to deliver more performance. The upgrade worked as intended on the dyno and in terms of outright power, with Fernando Alonso subsequently fighting his way into the points at Zandvoort.
However, the increase in performance came with an unwanted side effect. The revised combustion characteristics changed the way the power unit delivered its performance, creating drivability problems that Honda had to address before Formula 1 heads to the high-speed Monza circuit.
Honda confirms performance gain from latest specification
HRC representative Shintaro Orihara explained ahead of the Italian Grand Prix that Honda was satisfied with the headline performance of its latest specification.
The improvements had already been validated using dyno testing before being introduced in the Netherlands.
We have introduced a new engine specification in the Netherlands. We saw a step forward in performance on our Metro-X, which was confirmed on the dyno. That was positive.
The problem was that the new specification also changed the behaviour of the engine more significantly than Honda had anticipated.
On the other hand, we found something that could improve drivability. That is why we updated the conversion characteristics for the engine.
Honda had already encountered power-delivery issues earlier in the season and developed specific control systems to make the engine’s response smoother.
The latest combustion changes, however, were substantial enough to expose limitations in those existing solutions.
Aston Martin faced unexpected drivability problems
According to Orihara, Honda’s engineers discovered a much larger difference in combustion characteristics than expected after the new specification was deployed.
The difference in combustion is much greater than we had expected. We need to adapt our new control systems for this new combustion.
That meant simply relying on the control modifications developed earlier in the season was not enough.
Honda subsequently used driver feedback and data collected at Zandvoort to develop another solution. Engineers at HRC’s Sakura headquarters analyzed the information before preparing revised settings and a new tool intended to improve the engine’s behaviour.
We prepared the data settings and a new tool for the new conversion. This was intended to improve drivability, but it was not yet sufficient.
That development is particularly important heading into Monza, where the long straights and high-speed layout place an enormous emphasis on power-unit performance and predictable power delivery.
Honda prepares a countermeasure for Monza
Honda has therefore continued testing at Sakura in an attempt to ensure the revised control strategy works effectively before the Italian Grand Prix.
The Japanese manufacturer has fed both the Zandvoort data and driver feedback back into its dyno programme.
This is absolutely our area for improvement that we found in the Netherlands. Here in Monza, there is a high demand for power.
Orihara acknowledged that Monza presents a considerably different challenge from Zandvoort.
It will be challenging in terms of power on this circuit. We have fed all the data and feedback from the drivers back into the dyno.
For Aston Martin, getting the balance right will be crucial. The team needs to extract the additional performance Honda’s latest specification was designed to provide without compromising how the power is delivered to the drivers.
Reliability remains Honda’s priority
Despite the pressure to maximise performance at one of Formula 1’s most power-sensitive circuits, Honda has no intention of taking unnecessary risks.
The manufacturer says it has maintained a strong focus on reliability while developing the latest countermeasure.
Orihara stressed that Honda must continue balancing outright performance with the durability of its power unit.
We must always find a good balance between reliability and performance. According to our tests, we are currently satisfied with the reliability.
He added:
As far as performance is concerned, we don’t need to take any risks to get the maximum out of it.
That cautious approach could prove significant at Monza. Honda appears confident that the latest engine specification has delivered the desired performance increase, but the immediate priority is ensuring Aston Martin can use that extra power without suffering from the drivability problems encountered in the Netherlands.
For Alonso and Aston Martin, the Italian Grand Prix will therefore provide an important test of whether Honda’s latest intervention has successfully turned the promising Zandvoort upgrade into a more complete package.
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