Aston Martin qualifying breakthrough linked to Honda engine upgrade after months of struggles – Aston Martin produced one of the biggest surprises of qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia as Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso both reached Q2 for the first time this season.
According to Auto, Motor und Sport, the improvement may be linked to a Honda engine upgrade that had previously gone largely unnoticed.
Aston Martin has endured a difficult 2026 campaign, with both drivers regularly occupying the lower end of the qualifying order. At times, the gap to the front of the field has stretched to several seconds.
That changed in Sepang, where Stroll qualified 12th and Alonso 14th to give Aston Martin its strongest qualifying performance of the season.
Aston Martin finally reaches Q2
The result marked the first time this year that both Aston Martin drivers have progressed beyond Q1.
Alonso, who recently extended his contract with the team, said the improvement was not the result of a major change to the car’s overall specification.
“In Q2 we were about 1.5 seconds behind the leaders. We’ve never been that close this season. The car is the same as before. It’s clear that we’re simply too slow on the straights. However, the car seems to be better suited to this track.”
The Spaniard’s comments suggest that circuit characteristics played an important role in Aston Martin’s improved competitiveness, although the team’s recent engine development may also have contributed.
Honda upgrade introduced earlier than planned
According to Auto, Motor und Sport, Aston Martin’s qualifying performance amounted to something of a “miracle” given the team’s struggles earlier in the season.
The German publication attributes part of the improvement to a Honda engine upgrade that was originally intended for introduction during the 2027 season.
Honda nevertheless supplied the updated component earlier than planned, with Aston Martin gradually introducing it during recent race weekends.
The report states that Stroll received a new turbocharger in Madrid, while Alonso was equipped with the same component one race later in Baku.
The upgrade initially failed to produce an obvious improvement in Aston Martin’s results. That changed in Malaysia, however, with the team apparently able to extract significantly more of its potential.
Aston Martin finds performance in Sepang
Auto, Motor und Sport reported that Aston Martin appeared to have “fully exploit[ed] the potential of the new engine upgrade for the first time” in Malaysia.
That does not necessarily mean the team’s underlying problems have been solved. Alonso still finished 1.5 seconds away from the leaders in Q2 and acknowledged that Aston Martin remains vulnerable on the straights.
However, reaching Q2 with both cars represents a significant change from the team’s form during the opening part of the season.
The result also provides Aston Martin with some encouragement after a campaign that has fallen well short of the ambitions surrounding its 2026 project.
Alonso’s future already settled
The improved qualifying performance comes after a period of uncertainty surrounding Alonso’s future.
The 45-year-old recently took time to consider his next move before extending his Aston Martin contract, amid widespread speculation about whether he would remain with the team.
For Aston Martin, the challenge now is to determine whether the Sepang performance represents a genuine step forward or whether the characteristics of the Malaysian circuit simply suited the AMR26.
The coming races should provide a clearer indication of whether Honda’s upgraded power unit can help Aston Martin consistently move away from the back of the grid.
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