Australian Grand Prix: Aston Martin’s involvement uncertain due to battery problem
MELBOURNE, Australia – Aston Martin is now concerned that they may not have both cars competing in the Australian Grand Prix due to a shortage of spare Honda engine batteries, a situation that Adrian Newey described as “a scary place to be in.”
The team arrived in Melbourne with four Honda batteries but has faced two distinct issues prior to the weekend.
This predicament has exacerbated the challenging circumstances the team is experiencing before any competitive session has commenced.
Honda’s engine has been characterized as underpowered and unreliable, and the team disclosed on Thursday that it is generating such severe vibrations that drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are worried about potential permanent nerve damage in their hands if they complete excessive laps.
Alonso missed the first practice due to a power unit problem, while Stroll managed only three laps before encountering a similar issue with his car.
After the initial session, Newey acknowledged that the team’s ability to participate in the race is uncertain.
“The critical point is the number of batteries,” Newey stated. “We arrived with four batteries. We’ve experienced conditioning issues or communication problems with two of those batteries, which means that, as it stands today, we only have two operational batteries.”
“Given our rate of battery damage, that is quite a scary place to be in. Obviously, we are hopeful that we can get through the weekend and start two cars, but it is very challenging to be definitive about that at this moment.”
The vibration issue has already compelled Aston Martin to restrict the number of laps they can complete in a single stint.
The absence of spare batteries has only added to the team’s concerns.
“Realistically, it’s about managing the problem,” Newey continued. “We are short on batteries. We only have the two batteries that are currently in the car. If we lose one of those, it will obviously pose a significant problem. Therefore, we must be very cautious in how we utilize the batteries.”
The natural follow-up question was directed at Newey regarding the possibility of Aston Martin flying in spare batteries from Honda’s Sakura factory in Japan before qualifying on Saturday.
“Unfortunately not, there aren’t any,” was Newey’s straightforward response.
Newey’s two media appearances this weekend have been notable, with clear accountability being directed at Honda for the team’s current challenges.
Newey and the team believe their chassis ranks as the fifth best on the grid, a point that has been consistently reiterated as he discusses Honda’s issues.
At one point, he remarked that the team has not been able to conduct nearly enough testing on the chassis itself due to their engine difficulties.
“I think it’s a situation where you feel somewhat powerless because we clearly have a significant power unit issue, and our limited running also means we are not learning enough about the car. Consequently, our information regarding the car itself is very restricted due to the minimal running we’ve done, particularly at low fuel levels. Running at low fuel serves as a damper to the battery.
“Thus, Honda has greatly limited our capacity for low fuel running. It becomes a self-perpetuating issue, and of course, it requires a considerable amount of effort on our part to collaborate with Honda to achieve the best overall solution. We could assert that it’s not our problem, but it is our problem because ultimately the car is a combination of chassis and power unit.”
Source: espn.com
