In a significant development, Fernando Alonso will miss the media day at the Japanese Grand Prix due to the birth of his first child. This news comes just ahead of the race weekend in Japan, where Alonso’s team, Aston Martin, has faced numerous challenges this season.
As a result of Alonso’s absence, Jak Crawford will replace him for the first practice session. This decision highlights Aston Martin’s commitment to nurturing young talent, as noted by team principal Mike Krack, who stated, “It’s great that we’re able to give Jak another opportunity in FP1 as part of our ongoing commitment to developing young talent.”
Alonso’s absence comes during a tumultuous time for Aston Martin, who currently sit last in the world championship standings after two races in the 2026 season. The team has struggled with reliability issues, particularly with their Honda engine, which has been plagued by severe vibrations and power deficits.
In the first two races of the season, Alonso retired in both Australia and China, while his teammate Lance Stroll finished last in Melbourne, a staggering 15 laps behind the winner. The Honda power unit has been unable to recover or deploy energy at the full permitted rate of 350kW, further complicating the team’s performance.
Despite these setbacks, there have been some signs of progress. Shintaro Orihara from Honda mentioned, “In China, we made some progress in terms of battery reliability thanks to a reduction in the vibration affecting the systems, but we must find more solutions to establish the cause of the vibrations affecting the drivers.”
Alonso is in the final year of his contract with Aston Martin and has not confirmed whether he will continue in Formula 1 beyond 2026, adding to the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Aston Martin’s struggles this season have raised questions about their competitiveness and the effectiveness of their partnership with Honda. As the team prepares for the upcoming race, all eyes will be on how they adapt to these challenges without their star driver.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding Alonso’s future plans, but his immediate focus will undoubtedly be on his family during this pivotal moment in his life.