Aston Martin Cures AMR26 Vibration Crisis in Miami, But New Gearbox Gremlins Emerge

Aston Martin finally banished its most debilitating early-season problem at the Miami Grand Prix. After three race weekends dominated by severe power-unit-induced vibrations—issues that compromised performance, reliability, and even driver comfort—the team arrived in Miami with a set of countermeasures. Developed jointly with Honda during the five-week break after Suzuka, the fix proved to be a crucial turning point for the AMR26.

For the first time in 2026, Aston Martin successfully got both cars to the chequered flag, a milestone that had begun to feel elusive. However, while the vibration crisis has been resolved, the team’s path forward remains fraught with technical hurdles. With one major problem solved, another has quickly surfaced to take its place.

Gearbox Gremlins Emerge as the New Limiting Factor

Alonso revealed that although the AMR26 was finally drivable again, the gearbox immediately became the next limiting factor.

"It’s the electronics or something. It was very weird on the downshifts and the upshifts. So not very well in control. That’s the fix number one for Canada I think, with all the heavy braking," the Spaniard explained.

These comments underline a pressing urgency for the team. Montreal’s stop-start layout will punish any instability in shift behaviour. Aston Martin cannot afford another weekend of firefighting.

A Race of Mileage, Data, and Modest Progress

On Sunday, Alonso finished 15th after stretching his first stint in the hope of a late Safety Car. Once fitted with soft tyres, he showed flashes of his usual aggression, but the AMR26 ultimately lacked the pace required to fight for points.

"It’s good to have both cars finish the race for the first time this season. We are still not where we want to be, but this weekend has allowed us to collect more data which we can analyse over the next few weeks before Canada," Alonso noted. "We have made clear progress in reliability, now our focus turns to performance. We need to keep working and be patient as a team."

Lance Stroll, who finished 17th after two pit stops, echoed the collective relief at finally completing a race distance.

"It’s the first time this season both cars finished a race, so that’s a positive to take from Miami. We managed to get more mileage in the car and experienced less vibrations this weekend," Stroll said. "In hindsight, our tyre strategy didn’t work out but from a reliability perspective we made a step in the right direction. We now need to work on our performance related issues, there are lots of areas for us to improve on."

Honda Collaboration Pays Off, But Pace Remains Missing

Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack confirmed that the team’s primary focus during the break was eliminating the power-unit vibrations. The close collaboration with their engine partner yielded the desired result, allowing Honda to shift its focus to energy management after this crucial Miami milestone.

"Our focus over the break was to work with Honda to improve the PU’s vibrations into the chassis — that work has paid off and we have taken an important step forward on reliability this weekend," Krack concluded. "Whilst that is a positive, there’s clearly more we need to do together to improve our pace and unlock the potential of this package."

Aston Martin leaves Miami with a reliable foundation, but the race to find genuine performance has only just begun.