Aston Martin verdict: new car cut two seconds a lap but Honda engine leaves them stranded at the back

The car works — so why were Aston Martin at the back?

Aston Martin arrived at Monza with their major upgrades fitted but found themselves right at the back of the grid again — prompting questions about whether the new parts had simply failed. The evidence suggests otherwise: it is the engine, not the car, that is holding them back.

An all-new car that cut two seconds a lap

Aston Martin introduced a major car upgrade in Hungary, two races before Italy, with a "spec two" Honda engine arriving at Zandvoort on either side of the summer break. The upgraded machine was effectively an all-new car apart from the rear suspension and gearbox, and cut lap times by around two seconds.

The results followed. Fernando Alonso made it into the second part of qualifying for the first time all year in Hungary, then delivered an outstanding race drive to finish ninth on merit in the Netherlands on a one-stop strategy — holding the faster Alpine of Pierre Gasly and the Racing Bull of Yuki Tsunoda at arm's length in the final stint.

The Honda question

The new Honda engine specification that made its debut at Zandvoort has been less impressive, which is precisely why Aston Martin found themselves at the back again at power-sensitive Monza.

More upgrades on the way

Further improvements are expected in the form of a weight reduction around the gearbox, due either for the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid or for the following round in Azerbaijan — another sign the team are not standing still in their push up the order.