Fernando Alonso blames Honda power unit for Singapore Grand Prix issues

Engine issues in Singapore

Fernando Alonso claims the Honda power unit in his AMR26 failed to perform correctly during the Singapore Grand Prix. He experienced specific problems with drivability and turbo lag that cost him significant lap time. Both Aston Martin drivers started the race from the pit lane after qualifying difficulties left the two-time world champion only half a tenth shy of Q2. The driver noted that the car struggled with energy deployment, which became particularly problematic after the virtual safety car periods when he could have overtaken Sergio Perez but instead lost his position to Isack Hadjar. He lost approximately two seconds on the restart following the last virtual safety car. I find his frustration understandable because the driver lost 200 to 300 metres on every straight after discovering these issues around Marina Bay. He said that all laps felt difficult, despite finding the car okay on the soft tyre during the first stint.

Comparison with previous races

Honda disputes Alonso’s statement that his turbo was broken, although the driver says he had to replace it before the race. Alonso reported that while the car felt strong on soft tyres during the first stint, the deployment issues persisted throughout the race. He said, "I don’t think the car knew exactly where I was in the lap because I was deploying in different places that I didn’t need, and I was not deploying on the straight." He also stated, "There is something on the power unit, yes, that is not performing as it should do in this weekend." Alonso observed no such issues in Sepang or the twisty first sectors of Baku. He now demands an investigation before the triple-header moves to Mexico and Las Vegas. He mentioned that Mexico will have very slow-speed corners, and he wants to get on top of these issues before then. He finished the race behind Perez, as the lack of deployment made the task an impossible one. He remains unsure if Singapore’s unique track characteristics caused the issue or if the Honda PU suffered a step backwards in driveability. He noted that in Baku, the track was very twisty and slow in the first two sectors, yet the car had no issues then.