Following a successful Malaysian Formula 1 weekend, Aston Martin faced significant issues at the Singapore Grand Prix with their AMR26 power unit. Team principal Fernando Alonso pointed to problems with driveability, particularly turbo lag. Honda sent engineers and units back to Sakura for investigation, but no hardware fault was found. The issue stemmed from the unique Marina Bay Street Circuit layout and energy-rich conditions, causing unstable acceleration. Honda introduced a new turbocharger in Madrid but found the problem persisted in Singapore.
Trackside General Manager Shintaro Orihara admitted the turbo lag remained an issue due to the track's characteristics. Orihara explained that while MGU-K deployment can help against turbo lag, it wasn't sufficient in energy-rich circuits, and the engine's operation mode couldn't fully control the lag. Honda learned lessons and is preparing countermeasures. Meanwhile, Aston Martin's Mike Krack noted the disappointment was compounded by overly high expectations heading into the race weekend, a lesson they plan to avoid repeating in Austin.
Source: Autosport F1 News · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing