ALONSO SAYS ASTON MARTIN DRIVEABILITY GAINS WORTH ONLY "HALF A TENTH"

Fernando Alonso confirmed Aston Martin's recent driveability improvements, addressing abrupt gearshifts and engine braking, are worth only "half a tenth" of lap time. While these fixes were a top priority for the point-and-squirt Canada circuit, the AMR26 remains "two or three seconds" off the pace, a far greater deficit.

The issues stem from Aston Martin building its gearbox in-house for the first time in years, coupled with new F1 regulations making energy recuperation and shift quality far more complex. The car’s aggressive rear-end packaging, influenced by Adrian Newey, also forced unusual battery and motor placements that initially hampered reliability and testing. Honda, as engine partner, is working to improve powertrain controllability under the new regulations, especially in partial throttle zones. However, truly closing the gap will demand more than drivetrain finesse; the AMR26's engine still lags rivals in horsepower and electrical deployment, a fundamental problem Aston Martin must solve to contend at the front.