The first two weekends of Honda’s ‘motorone’
The new ‘Spec 2’ power unit from Honda, brought by the Japanese manufacturer for the Dutch Grand Prix, had raised good expectations at Aston Martin, eager to recover some competitiveness, reliability, and points in the championship after a first half of the season that was nothing short of disastrous. Not by chance, it was precisely at Zandvoort that Alonso achieved his best result by finishing 9th, also thanks to a performance worthy of a true champion, but the enthusiasm was short-lived.
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The third ‘round’ is coming
Last weekend in Monza, in fact, both cars did not reach the finish line: while the two-time world champion retired due to car damage, Stroll (who had already retired at Zandvoort) parked the car due to a hydraulic failure. But now the time has come for the Spanish Grand Prix, which for the first time in F1 history will take place on the new Madrid circuit.
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The advantages of Madrid
A new appointment for everyone, from teams to drivers, but Honda’s Head of Engineers, Shintaro Orihara, looks at Alonso’s home race with some optimism: “It’s our first time at MADRING; it is a track with mixed characteristics, composed of a street circuit and a permanent structure. As always, drivability will be an important factor. We have competed in two races after the introduction of the ‘Spec 2’ power unit – races characterized by different aspects – and we will make the most of this experience in Madrid this week, focusing in particular on drivability and energy management. Overall, we believe that Madrid will better suit our package and we will work hard throughout the weekend to put ourselves in the best possible position with the resources at our disposal.”
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