Lance Stroll’s grim verdict on Honda’s secret F1 engine upgrade: “Missing two seconds”

Lance Stroll has claimed Aston Martin is “missing two seconds” from the engine alone, despite Honda secretly introducing its second Formula 1 power unit upgrade of the season. 

After debuting a new engine from its first Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) token of 2026 at the Dutch Grand Prix in August, it has now emerged that Honda quietly fitted a second power unit upgrade at the Spanish Grand Prix on Stroll's Aston Martin. Fernando Alonso received the upgrade - which featured an updated turbocharger - at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. 

But according to Stroll, ADUO 2 made little difference to improve Aston Martin’s competitive prospects. 

When asked ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia about the difference he felt from the upgraded engine, the Canadian replied: “Not much. You know, we're really struggling on the engine side. We know that, so a lot of work to be done.”

On Aston Martin’s prospects for 2027, Stroll added: “I think the car is going to get a lot better. We have a plan, a good direction. We know what we have to do to put downforce on the car and all that stuff. 

“I think the big question mark's the engine. We don't know how we're going to be in the beginning of '27, so we'll see. But yeah, excited for another trip around the world.” 

Stroll went on to lay bare the true extent of Honda’s performance woes, revealing Aston Martin is “missing two seconds” of lap time from the engine alone. 

“We're missing two seconds in engines, so it's difficult. Places like Baku and Monza, when you're missing two seconds in engine, there's not much you can do,” he said. 

“On the car side, we know we started late compared to everyone else, development for the new regulations. We made a big step in Budapest. I think we have a clear direction on what we have to do with car development, but, you know, we're lacking between a second and two seconds, depending on the tracks, every weekend in engine. 

“There's not much we can do with that. So, you know, right now that's really our weakness.” 

Aston Martin effectively became the Honda works team after securing engine exclusivity for 2026, having decided to end its previous supply deal with Mercedes. 

When asked if Aston Martin would consider moving away from Honda if the issues persist, Stroll replied: “Well, right now we're working together to get it right. We have some ideas for next year, so hopefully we're in a much better spot.”

Despite Aston Martin’s current misery, Stroll, who will continue alongside Alonso for 2027, insisted the team is in a good spot for the future. 

“Honda's pushing flat out, doing everything they can to bring more power. So, time will tell if we do,” he added. “It's just a question mark. We'll see the first race next year. 

“But I think there's definitely a very bright future. The team is in a good spot. I think we made that big upgrade in Budapest to improve the car a huge amount, so we have a clear direction on what we have to do. I think it’s very exciting for everyone.”