Aston Martin began on Wednesday (the 29th) testing the updated Honda power unit at the Hungaroring circuit in Hungary. The activity takes place during a team filming day and coincides with Fernando Alonso’s 45th birthday.
Honda is working to debut this new power unit package at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. According to Honda’s Track General Manager and Chief Engineer, Shintaro Orihara, the focus is on improving the engine’s performance and reliability: “Our target is the Netherlands. So we are working hard to complete our task list to bring the new power unit to the Netherlands. That is our objective.”
“We are focusing purely on the engine. Our aim is to improve the engine’s performance, so we are working on the combustion chamber geometry and we have also modified the pre-chamber. We will also alter the combustion chamber shape to enhance burn efficiency. Additionally, we are working to reduce friction by changing the lubrication system.”
“That is what we are working on. And also, naturally, to improve reliability, because if we boost performance, we need to boost reliability as well. We still have quite a long list to complete, but we’re working hard to reach the goal by the Netherlands,” he said.
The first results from Aston Martin’s upgrades appeared in Hungary, when Alonso made it to Q2 for the first time this year during qualifying. The Spaniard stressed that the package brought a meaningful shift in the team’s atmosphere: “I think it was important. It was definitely important for everyone on the team, as you know, it has been a tough period at both factories, given the performance shortfall we had in the first half of the year. This package obviously didn’t change many positions, but it changed a lot the mood of everyone at the factory.”
“It’s not that we’re chasing something we don’t know; we know exactly what we’re looking for and we know the exact targets for the next package or for the next year. So, for me, that is the biggest change this weekend,” he concluded.
