Honda name 'critical' target in 'fundamental' Monaco test

Honda has set itself a "critical" target for this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix as it aims to take another step towards rebuilding its reputation following a torrid start to its partnership with Aston Martin this season.

The Japanese manufacturer returned to the sport after being drawn by the new 50-50 power split between combustion and electrical energy.

But from the moment the AMR26 first hit the track, Honda and Aston Martin have endured a nightmare as the PU has been blighted by failures and issues, leading to five retirements combined across the opening five grands prix for drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

Heading to the Principality, Aston Martin sits bottom of the constructors' championship, even behind debutants Cadillac, but with an opportunity around the slow-speed Monte Carlo layout to discover a degree of respectability.

To that end, Shintaro Orihara, Honda trackside general manager and chief engineer, has highlighted the key areas on which focus is required if a positive result is to be achieved.

“Circuit de Monaco is very unique, and our power units require dedicated preparation to adapt to the conditions," said Orihara.

"We have conducted specific driver-in-the-loop sessions at the AMR Technology Campus to optimise our energy management settings.

“On the cooling side, Monaco’s slow-speed sections make this challenging. We need to find a good cooling specification, working closely with Aston Martin to achieve this for the power unit in clean air and heavy traffic, which is common there.

“This weekend we have three hours of practice, so it’s critical to optimise energy management and track usage throughout these.

"Gaining the drivers’ feedback during this will also be paramount as energy management has a significant impact on driveability.

"Monaco has a lot of slow-speed corners, so it’s fundamental to maximise driveability to give them maximum confidence. We can find lap time from driveability here."