F1 / NEWS & CONTEXT

Honda finds no sign of engine fault after Alonso’s Baku retirement

Honda says its checks found no sign of an engine problem in Fernando Alonso’s car after his Azerbaijan Grand Prix retirement, but it plans to keep investigating his concerns.

GPBeat · Newsroom01 Oct 2026, 07:54 · 2 min

Honda chief engineer Shintaro Orihara said Baku’s long straights had exposed a weakness in the current power-unit package. Honda had tried to reduce the time lost but had run out of options with the tools available for now, he said. His assessment concerned what Honda could do during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, rather than ruling out further improvements.

Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll had both taken new power-unit components before the race, putting them at the back of the grid. Neither finished on Saturday. RacingNews365 reports that it was Aston Martin’s fourth double retirement of the season.

Honda said it had also found irregular signals from Alonso’s new engine in second practice and replaced a part after inspecting it. It reported no further engine issue in third practice or qualifying, and said it believed the engine was healthy enough to use for the rest of the season.

Update

Shintaro Orihara told RacingNews365 Nederland that Honda physically inspected Alonso’s engine after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and reviewed maintenance findings, earlier factory data and torque delivery. Those checks showed no indication of an engine problem, he said. Alonso had reported engine trouble after repeatedly losing positions on the straight.

Orihara said variations in the car’s speed compared with earlier sessions, or a different energy strategy, were possible factors; he did not identify either as the cause. Honda plans further checks during practice at the next event, using Alonso’s feedback.

Sources 02

SOURCEAston Martin handed worrying 'out of solutions' message by Honda during Baku miseryRacingNews365 English · Source date as found: 2026-09-26
SOURCEHonda ontkent motorproblemen na opvallende uitvalbeurt AlonsoRacingNews365 Nederland · Source date as found: 2026-10-01

Source context

Source: RacingNews365 English’s account of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and its quotations from Honda chief engineer Shintaro Orihara.

RacingNews365 Nederland reported Orihara’s account of Honda’s inspection and its planned follow-up checks on 1 October.

Claims and supporting evidence 8

RacingNews365 reports that Aston Martin drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll both retired from the Saturday race. It describes this as their fourth double retirement of the campaign.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Azerbaijan Grand Prix race result 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, 26 September The supplied article is the sole retrieved account; no separate race classification was supplied.

[1]

According to RacingNews365, Honda chief engineer Shintaro Orihara said the circuit's long straights challenged the current package and that Honda had run out of solutions using the tools then available. This is his assessment of the Baku weekend, not a finding that Honda has no future remedy.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Honda's assessment of its power-unit package in Baku 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend The Honda remarks are quoted by RacingNews365; an original Honda publication or recording was not supplied.

[1]

RacingNews365 reports that Alonso and Stroll received new power-unit components before the race weekend and consequently faced starts from the back of the grid.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Power-unit changes and starting positions Before the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix race The article does not specify each replacement component or give a detailed account of the applicable grid penalties.

[1]

In remarks quoted by RacingNews365, Honda said it detected irregular system signals in FP2, inspected the new engine and replaced a part. The speaker said no engine issue appeared in FP3 or qualifying and expressed confidence that the engine was healthy; that confidence is not a measured guarantee of future reliability.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Honda's account of Alonso's new engine Practice and qualifying at the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix The article supplies Honda's account, not diagnostic data or a subsequent reliability outcome.

[1]

RacingNews365 reports that Alonso said he had engine trouble after repeatedly losing positions on the straight. This is his reported assessment, not an established diagnosis.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Alonso's reported symptoms during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix The report does not establish what caused the loss of positions or the retirement.

[2]

Shintaro Orihara told RacingNews365 and others that Honda physically inspected the engine after the race and found no indication of an engine problem in its checks of maintenance findings, earlier factory data and torque delivery.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Honda's account of its checks After the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix; reported October 1, 2026 These are Orihara's reported findings from Honda's checks, not proof that no engine-related fault occurred.

[2]

Orihara said Honda would continue checking the engine during the upcoming event on the basis of Alonso's feedback, despite finding nothing in its data so far.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Planned follow-up to Alonso's feedback Plans reported October 1, 2026 The article reports a plan for further checks, not their outcome.

[2]

Orihara raised ordinary speed variation and a different energy strategy as possibilities. He did not identify either as the cause of what Alonso experienced.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Possible explanations for straight-line speed variation Discussion of the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix; reported October 1, 2026 The suggested explanations are possibilities, not findings.

[2]

Corrections and updates to this story

01 Oct 2026, 07:54

Updated with a material new development verified through a separate News Made Clear newsroom run.

This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.