The Honda power unit run by the Aston Martin team is suffering vibrations... and they're not good.

A poor pre-season test came to a dramatic end this time last week when the Japanese manufacturer called a halt to proceedings after just 6 laps.

Over the course of the two tests, numerous reasons for the AMR26's issues were speculated upon, including the engine, the gearbox even the oil, but now Honda has revealed the true cause.

"The abnormal vibrations observed during testing caused damage to the battery system, which was the primary reason for the stoppage," Ikuo Takeishi, head of Honda Racing Corporation's (HRC) four-wheel racing division told a pre-season press conference in Japan.

"We stopped the car because we felt it shouldn't continue running in that state," he added, referring to last Friday's shock decision to prematurely curtail the test. "It wasn't that an accident was imminent or anything like that," he insisted, "but we stopped the car because it was dangerous.

"The PU side is naturally investigating the cause and working on countermeasures, while simultaneously implementing measures on the chassis side. Specifically, we are currently using the Sakura battery on a bench with the monocoque mounted, actively running multiple countermeasures while conducting vibration countermeasures and analysis.

"The vibrations caused damage to the battery," he explained, "so we cannot say whether the battery itself is the problem. You could think of it as the battery pack being shaken within the vehicle body. Essentially, the area where the battery pack is attached is vibrating. Had this been within expectations, I believe we would have made further adjustments. As it stands, I suspect we've encountered a rather challenging situation.

"For instance, if the cause were pinpointed to something like the transmission or the engine, it would be much easier to tackle," he admitted. "However, I suspect multiple components are interacting to generate the vibration. Given that, it's unclear whether fixing one part alone will resolve it, so we can't rule out the possibility of this dragging on. That said, purely in terms of determination, I'm absolutely intent on fixing it quickly.

"I'm aiming to reduce the vibration before the season opener, but I intend to get the car into a competitive state before Suzuka."

"The recent pre-season tests in Barcelona and Bahrain were, frankly speaking, extremely challenging for us," admitted HRC boss, Koji Watanabe. "We were unable to achieve the performance levels we had anticipated, and a complex set of issues became apparent. However, these tests were also a crucial process in that they allowed us to visualise these challenges.

"There may be various issues on both sides, but we are aiming for a long-term partnership, and at this stage I believe we are united in our desire to resolve matters as one team," he added. "I have had very positive discussions on the phone with chairman Stroll and Newey about how to resolve the situation. With the season opener approaching, it goes without saying that we will do our utmost to ensure we are ready to race in Australia.

"Naturally, the drivers testing are understandably frustrated, but we can only address that through performance."

Of course, other than the fact that the clock is ticking, there is the little matter of the engine cost cap.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Superbird70, 5 hours ago

"@Mad Matt- At McLaren those vibrations were from Alonso banging his head against the steering wheel in sheer frustration at having a useless car."

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2. Posted by Mad Matt, 6 hours ago

"This is beginning to remind me of the disaster Honda had with McLaren... I seem to remember vibrations being an issue there at one point too."

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3. Posted by flyinglap, 8 hours ago

"Tough luck for Alonso, once more with Honda; and the Strolls cannot be happy either (an understatement). Not to mention Newey. It is amazing that they did not detect this "vibration" issue earlier, during months and months of simulation testing. Which (a) proves the absolute value of actual testing and (b) leads me to think that it may not be a "vibration" issue after all. For what it's worth, the engine itself sounded like a nasty bag of nails just moments before the stoppage. If it were a "vibration" issue unrelated to the engine and affecting the battery, it would be fixable with the proper choice of mounts for the accessory systems of the PU, notwithstanding the engine itself being bolted to the chassis. It looks like an engine (power) issue to me, considering how slow they were, possibly related to the properties of their "renewable" fuel. We will see what comes up."

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4. Posted by ffracer, 9 hours ago

"@@Superbird70 - absolutely agree with you, feel so gutted for Alonso right now. I verily believe that Honda will get this right and quickly. Not the first time, HRC can do this.

I think that the vibrations is what Stroll was referring to in that viral Bahrain paddock video... he kept gesticulating to his shoulders after unwinding the imaginary wheel as he explained to Adrian Newey with Enrico Cardile and Stroll Snr listening in. Not to toot my own horn but I distinctly remember the horrible vibrations - to my shoulders through the belts - before an engine let go on me. I returned to the pits after 3 laps of Friday practice, telling the team that I didn't want to drive it as something was wrong with the engine. The car owner was livid, insisting that everything was thoroughly checked. I drove the back up car the rest of the day cause I insisted they check it all again. The car owner wanted to rip my head off... Long story short, the engine let go 'in spectacular fashion ' half way up the back straight of the first lap. And no, I didn't miss a shift... and that was the last time that I drove for them lol.

I truly believe that Honda will sort this out. I praise them for their honesty. "

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5. Posted by Superbird70, 9 hours ago

"Unbalanced hamster wheel?
Alonso is packing his bags. He must be beside himself."

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Honda reveals vibration issue

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