Adrian Newey reveals driving the Aston Martin could risk 'nerve damage' ahead of the Australian GP

Aston Martin's new Team Principal, Adrian Newey, has revealed that the team's drivers are at risk of 'permanent nerve damage' if they drive the AMR26 for too long.

Commenting on the eve of the 2026 season opener, Newey explained how the team's new Honda engine is causing vibration into the chassis.

Newey said: "Mirrors falling off, tail lights falling off - all that sort of thing, which we are having to address.

"But the much more significant problem is that the vibration is transmitted ultimately into the driver's fingers.

Newey went on to say that Fernando Alonso feels he can't do more than 25 laps before risking permanent nerve damage to his hands, while Lance Stroll feels that number is closer to 15 laps.

The Silverstone based side who are in the first year of their new partnership with Honda, now look set to be unable to finish Sunday's Australian GP.

Newey added: "We are going to have to be very heavily restricted on how many laps we do in the race until we get on top of the source of the vibration and improve the vibration at source."

Aston Martin struggled for running in Bahrain testing earlier in February, with Lance Stroll failing to complete a timed lap on the final Friday.

Newey, however, expressed confidence in the project, namely the chassis, as he said: "The car has huge, tremendous development potential in it. It will take, of course, a few races for us to fully realise that potential.

"I see no inherent reason within the architecture of the car why we can't become, on the chassis side, close to if not fully competitive."