Aston Martin is ready to skip the opening two days of the primary 2026 Method 1 pre-season check 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.
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This season will introduce widespread regulation adjustments and because of this, the Catalan check is being held behind closed doorways with groups permitted a most three days of working.
It’s already recognized that , , , Haas, Cadillac, and Pink Bull are out on observe throughout the first day, with and set to begin on Tuesday.
, in the meantime, introduced final week that it was with a sequence of digital exams “following delays within the FW48 programme”.
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The one workforce whose plan isn’t fully recognized 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 chance.
Mercedes W17 Barcelona check
Mercedes W17 Barcelona check
That’s regardless of the Silverstone outfit’s hospitality and assist constructions being current on the observe, however it’s understood that Aston’s state of affairs is just like that of Williams with delays in growth.
The 2026 rules are proving an enormous problem for all groups with adjustments throughout the entire automobile: the chassis is now lighter and smaller, whereas energy items characteristic extra electrical vitality with a close to 50-50 cut up alongside the inner combustion engine.
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A automobile chassis changing into lighter is already proving troublesome for groups, as they’re struggling to fulfill the lowered minimal weight of 768kg – final 12 months it was 800kg.
There may be additionally the added complication at Aston Martin that it’s partnering with a brand new energy unit provider this 12 months, as it’s changing into a Honda works’ outfit quite than its earlier guise as a Mercedes buyer workforce.
This comes alongside a brand new workforce principal in Adrian Newey, who’s entering into the workforce boss function for the primary time following many years of being a championship-winning designer.
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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 might not meet the three days of observe time in Barcelona this week.
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