Source: Official Team Post via X
Honda Pinpoints Cooling Oversight Behind Aston Martin's Mexico GP Woes
Honda admits a cooling miscalculation led to Aston Martin's double retirement at the high-altitude Mexico GP. Both cars exited early due to pressure issues in the power unit systems.
Honda has acknowledged that a misjudgment in cooling requirements for the high-altitude Mexico City circuit led to Aston Martin's unfortunate double retirement. This season has been particularly challenging for Aston Martin's inaugural partnership with Honda, tallying just seven points across 17 races.
The team seemed poised for a better result in Mexico, with Fernando Alonso consistently in the top 14 during practice. However, a suspected water pressure issue in the ERS system of his Honda power unit curtailed Alonso's qualifying, eliminating both him and teammate Lance Stroll in Q1. The race was no kinder, as both cars retired just five laps in due to "abnormal pressure levels in the PU systems."
Honda's Chief Engineer and Trackside General Manager, Shintaro Orihara, explained that the team underestimated the unique cooling demands at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, located 2240 meters above sea level. "We knew the high altitude would present additional cooling challenges," Orihara commented, "but our ERS cooling circuit faced greater stress than expected, leading to retirements in different sessions."
Despite thorough practice sessions, no anomalies were detected until they manifested during qualifying and the race. Orihara emphasized Honda's commitment to learning from this setback, promising these insights will inform the development of next season's power unit. "Every race offers lessons for 2027, even tough ones," he stated. "We have gathered valuable data to address issues like turbo lag and will work on solutions for the future."