Aston Martin chief trackside officer Mike Krack insisted there are "no issues" with engine partner Honda after a handshake between Lawrence Stroll and Honda president Koji Watanabe on the Suzuka grid sparked media speculation of a peace-making gesture. Fernando Alonso finished 18th and Lance Stroll retired at Suzuka, capping a hard start to 2026 for Aston Martin and Honda.
The moment on the starting grid at Honda’s home race drew attention across the paddock. Some read it as a signal that tensions were easing between the two sides after a rough opening to the season. Krack pushed back on that reading. He said there was no conflict to fix and described the handshake as a normal sign of respect on Honda’s turf.
“There was no need to make peace, because we have a good relationship,” Krack said. He framed the exchange as recognition of the work Honda is doing with the team as they tackle early problems. He added that the focus remains on working as one group at the track and at the factories.
Aston Martin’s switch to Honda has brought a troubled start to 2026. Both cars began from the back of the grid at Suzuka. Stroll then retired with a technical problem. Alonso reached the finish in 18th, which was the team’s first classified result of the year. The outcome underlined a package still short on performance and with reliability issues that are not yet fully solved.
Krack said the priority is cohesion and consistent cooperation. He praised the efforts from Honda and Aston Martin teams, both at the circuit and at base. He said there has been progress on reliability, though not enough yet. The bigger gap is performance. He warned there are “major steps to take” to raise the car into the midfield fight.
He also said the team will use the break to start making those steps. The plan is to keep a tight feedback loop between engineers on site and staff in the factories. The aim is to turn the improved reliability into a platform for lap time gains. There were no timelines offered, only a message that both partners are aligned.
Krack’s comments set a firm tone after a weekend that invited other readings. The handshake at Suzuka became a talking point. His stance was clear. The partnership stands, respect runs both ways, and the work continues to lift performance and put results on the board.