Alonso faces power unit issues in Singapore

Fernando Alonso experienced a significant loss of power during the Singapore Grand Prix, prompting Honda to replace his power unit before the race. Alonso, driving for Aston Martin, encountered serious performance issues that affected his qualifying performance.

Qualifying struggles for Alonso

Alonso qualified 17th for the Grand Prix after finishing 11th in the earlier Sprint. Despite expectations that the Marina Bay circuit would suit his car’s characteristics, Alonso failed to reach within a tenth of Gabriel Bortoleto, the last driver to qualify for Q2.

Turbo issues suspected as cause

Alonso suspects a turbocharger problem may be responsible for the power loss. He noted that the issues affected his acceleration out of corners, causing him to lose time during the Sprint and qualifying sessions.

Alonso prioritizes fixing the issue

Alonso specifically requested his team to check the turbocharger, even if it meant accepting a grid penalty. He stated that the team would replace the component if necessary, even if it meant starting from the back of the grid.

Unpredictable mechanical failures

Alonso acknowledged that mechanical failures are difficult to predict. He expressed frustration at encountering these problems during the weekend, emphasizing the need to understand the cause of the power and speed loss out of corners.

Honda confirms power unit replacement

Hours after qualifying, Honda confirmed it would replace Alonso’s power unit during the night. Shintaro Orihara, Honda’s general director of track operations and chief engineer, made the decision after reviewing Alonso’s comments during qualifying.

Uncertainty over penalties

It is unclear whether Honda will use components from Alonso’s already authorized quota or if this replacement will result in a new penalty. If a penalty applies, Alonso could face a significant drop in grid position, complicating his chances of scoring points in Singapore.