Former Formula 1 driver Timo Glock has branded Aston Martin's start to the 2026 season as "disastrous" and has questioned whether it would be possible for the Silverstone outfit to change power unit partners from 2027.

2026 marks the start of Aston Martin's exclusive power unit partnership with Honda, and while the Japanese manufacturer has enjoyed a lot of success in recent years, it has started 2026 on the back foot.

The team had a delayed start to private testing in Barcelona and had limited running in pre-season testing in Bahrain. Now, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are battling against reliability issues caused by vibrations in the chassis, which team principal Adrian Newey claimed could put the drivers at risk of permanent nerve damage in their hands.

"It’s been devastating for the entire team at the moment. Naturally, also an absolute blow for Honda," Glock told Sky Sports Germany. "To go into testing already with so many problems. We’ve already heard different voices. So, it’s disastrous. Fernando Alonso was basically ready to go, and then another problem was identified with the battery. Everything had to be taken apart again.

"As you said, Fernando Alonso didn’t do a single lap. Then Lance Stroll, three laps total," he added in reference to the first practice session in Melbourne. "Think about all that has been invested. Consider what was built in Silverstone in the factory, the campus, the wind tunnel, and so on. Adrian Newey was brought in.

"Additional engineers were hired. And now here we are, and we can’t really run the car. So, it’s a disastrous start to this season."

When asked why it took until November to find out that Honda had encountered issues, the German driver added: "That’s a good question. Of course, certain engineers—and we mustn’t forget this—many Honda and Mercedes-Benz engineers, for example, moved to Red Bull.

Timo Glock

"And so you have to say, Red Bull is in the position of having bought and built a good power unit with this experience.

"But the question is, why did it only become clear in November that they were so far behind, that manpower was lacking? And naturally, also why Aston Martin, or the team principal side, only addressed it then. Why not earlier, since the development of this engine goes back years? They must have started very early—or had to start very early.

"At the moment, to my understanding, it’s not clear why it took so long to realise that such steps were behind schedule. And it also doesn’t sound like this will be fixed in two or three races.

"This is a fundamental problem: they have these vibrations, battery issues, cannot get the performance out, and are simply miles behind the other manufacturers. You will not make that up this year, and next year, in my view, they are already at a disadvantage."

Glock added that while there could be exit clauses in the contract with Honda, switching power unit partners in 2027 would not automatically fix the Lawrence Stroll-owned team's issues.

"Yes, that’s the question, of course—how are these contracts and structures set up? If Honda has not delivered the performance that may be stipulated in the contracts, there is the possibility to exit the contract.

"But the fact is, the whole year is lost. To go again next year with a new manufacturer, that’s a topic that also affects the design of the car. That has to be examined, and it will certainly be examined behind the scenes, to address these issues and how the team is structured. That is, of course, also a financial loss for this team and, naturally, from a market perspective, a total catastrophe."

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