Aston Martin is ready to skip the opening two days of the primary 2026 System 1 pre-season take a look at in Barcelona, Motorsport.com understands.
F1 is at present internet hosting a five-day shakedown at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya (26-30 January), forward of additional exams in Bahrain (11-13 and 18-20 February) earlier than the forthcoming marketing campaign.
This season will introduce widespread regulation modifications and because of this, the Catalan take a look at is being held behind closed doorways with groups permitted a most three days of operating.
It’s already identified that Mercedes, Audi, Alpine, Haas, Cadillac, Racing Bulls and Pink Bull are out on monitor in the course of the first day, with McLaren and Ferrari set to begin on Tuesday.
Williams, in the meantime, introduced final week that it was skipping Barcelona “to arrange for the primary official take a look at in Bahrain” with a collection of digital exams “following delays within the FW48 programme”.
The one staff whose plan will not be totally identified is Aston Martin, however Motorsport.com can reveal that it’s going to not be seen in Barcelona till Wednesday on the earliest, with Thursday being a real risk.
Mercedes W17 Barcelona take a look at
Picture by: System 1
That’s regardless of the Silverstone outfit’s hospitality and help constructions being current on the monitor, however it’s understood that Aston’s scenario is just like that of Williams with delays in growth.
The 2026 rules are proving an enormous problem for all groups with modifications throughout the entire automotive: the chassis is now lighter and smaller, whereas energy items characteristic extra electrical power with a close to 50-50 break up alongside the interior combustion engine.
A automotive chassis turning into lighter is already proving troublesome for groups, as they’re struggling to satisfy the lowered minimal weight of 768kg – final 12 months it was 800kg.
There’s additionally the added complication at Aston Martin that it’s partnering with a brand new energy unit provider this 12 months, as it’s turning into a Honda works’ outfit somewhat than its earlier guise as a Mercedes buyer staff.
This comes alongside a brand new staff principal in Adrian Newey, who’s moving into the staff boss function for the primary time following many years of being a championship-winning designer.
The expectations at Aston Martin are due to this fact enormous for the approaching years, particularly following important funding from billionaire proprietor Lawrence Stroll, however it could not meet the three days of monitor time in Barcelona this week.
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