It may appear unusual that Formulation 1 groups are unveiling their new liveries after the primary collective take a look at of the season, however that’s what 2026 has introduced with its all new rules.
This yr there are modifications to each the automobile chassis and energy unit, in what’s arguably the most important guidelines overhaul in F1 historical past – so extra pre-season dates have been added to assist squads put together.
It began with a five-day personal shakedown in Barcelona (26-30 January), earlier than two upcoming classes in Bahrain (11-13 and 18-20 February) forward of the Melbourne opener in March.
Though the Barcelona shakedown was personal, there have been nonetheless photos to come back from it and a few groups ran particular testing liveries having not but launched their official search for the yr.
A kind of was Aston Martin, which is launching its AMR26 on Monday, so here’s a have a look at the Silverstone squad and what sort of form it’s in because it enters the marketing campaign.
What’s new at Aston Martin?
There’s rather a lot that’s new on the Aston Martin F1 workforce, with the most important change in regards to the workforce principal position. For the primary time in his storied, decades-long profession, legendary automobile designer Adrian Newey would be the chief of a workforce after a administration restructuring on the British marque for 2026.
Adrian Newey
Picture by: Aston Martin
It has seen a number of engineers depart the organisation plus erstwhile boss Andy Cowell transfer right into a chief technique officer position, after insiders advised that he and Newey each disagreed on workforce operations and the route of 2026 growth.
Newey in the end gained the facility battle and it was no shock, as a result of his hiring for March 2025 was a serious coup and his preliminary position was managing technical associate with the Briton’s sole focus being to steer growth of the AMR26.
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And when it lastly rolled out for the Barcelona shakedown, on the fourth day of the take a look at, the Aston had Newey’s fingerprints written throughout it from the distinctive endplate and sidepod design to the entrance suspension package deal with a radical inclination of the higher wishbone.
“Adrian is only a artistic designer,” stated Williams boss James Vowles of the AMR26. “It’s actually spectacular what he’s executed with wishbones in locations that I don’t assume they need to be. However he’s executed them.
“You’ll see it in our entrance wishbone. It’s barely completely different, however the place Adrian’s gone may be very Adrian. Very spectacular, very artistic, very excessive. I wouldn’t wish to be the designer for that one. Let’s put it that approach.”
However a Newey-designed automobile, which he hopes will add to the 12 different championship winners he’s had a hand in, isn’t all that’s new: there’s additionally a Honda engine after 16 years of the Silverstone-based squad being a Mercedes buyer.
Honda energy unit
Picture by: Honda
This comes after six profitable years of the Japanese marque powering Crimson Bull – alongside its sister outfit Toro Rosso/Racing Bulls – to 4 drivers’ championships with Max Verstappen, plus two constructors’ titles. The rationale for Honda altering groups is as a result of it truly initially deliberate to depart F1 on the finish of 2021, however then it signed a paid cope with the Austrian outfit to proceed offering technical help – with Crimson Bull’s engines nonetheless popping out of Japan till 2025.
“We’re a buyer to Honda, we pay for engines by way of a separate entity of Crimson Bull Powertrains,” stated Christian Horner round that point. “It has been a terrific relationship and so they proceed to supply a wonderful service that we pay for, to supply engines for the 4 vehicles.”
The engine rules for 2026 then began to go the way in which Honda wished, nonetheless, but by this level it was already too late: Crimson Bull had dedicated to constructing its personal in-house energy models. So in got here Aston Martin and the 2 struck a deal.
It would see Newey reunited with the Japanese marque, however solely time will inform if the transfer pays off for Aston. The squad has ditched what’s thought-about to be the most effective energy unit in F1, nevertheless it has additionally been elevated to works’ workforce standing the place the engine is particularly constructed for that chassis relatively than a collective.
What’s the most important problem to Aston Martin?
It’d sound unusual to say given Aston Martin completed seventh within the 2025 standings and hasn’t scored a podium for the reason that Brazilian Grand Prix on the finish of 2023, however its greatest problem is delivering on expectations.
Just because Newey’s fame precedes him and when an individual has gained as many titles as him, then folks naturally begin to assume that he brings automated success. That’s precisely what’s occurring at Aston Martin.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Workforce in parc ferme
Picture by: Zak Mauger / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
Cue Mercedes star George Russell: “In the meanwhile it does appear like Crimson Bull, McLaren, Ferrari and ourselves are, let’s say, the 4 groups which can be all fairly shut inside each other. However you may’t low cost what you’ve seen from Aston Martin and what Adrian has executed with that automobile.”
So even drivers are already beginning to huge up Aston’s probabilities for the yr, predicting it to problem amongst the large boys. Nevertheless it isn’t simply due to Newey, as billionaire proprietor Lawrence Stroll has remodeled the whole enterprise and pumped in important quantities of funding with a brand new high-tech campus being one instance.
For a very long time now there’s additionally been discuss of 2026 being the workforce’s golden alternative to begin preventing for wins, with title glory to comply with in 2027. Aston additionally has world champion Fernando Alonso to boast so all of it seems to be good on the floor, however whether or not it might probably truly ship is one other matter.
To start with, Newey lately revealed that the workforce was 4 months late in beginning its 2026 wind tunnel programme and there was discuss of its automobile being chubby. On high of that, whereas its rivals, bar Williams, have been in a position to begin the Barcelona shakedown on time, Aston didn’t seem till day 4 with it thus fairly comfortably finishing the least mileage.
The way in which it additionally declined from being a podium common at the beginning of 2023 to agency midfield two years later reveals troubles with the way it can sufficiently improve a automobile, so one other problem can be to beat that and develop on the fee through which it must to be a constant entrance runner.
What’s the strongest asset to Aston Martin?
The plain reply is Newey and who may argue that given his monitor document, however for the sake of originality let’s go for Alonso – as a result of he additionally brings lots to the organisation. To be doing what he’s doing on the age of 44 is exceptional, as a result of the Spaniard remains to be on the identical common tempo as drivers 20 years his junior and has proven what he can do when given the instruments.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing
Picture by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Photographs through Getty Photographs
Simply have a look at this begin to 2023 with six podiums in eight grands prix, and even how he managed fifth in Hungary final yr en path to a top-10 championship end result. The one factor that’s stopping him from reaching extra success is the automobile, as Alonso clearly nonetheless has it and the non-driving features that he’ll deliver – such because the stuff which comes with expertise like suggestions and enter into growing a automobile – can be invaluable to the workforce.
Nevertheless, there may be the apparent caveat that he’s achieved such outcomes alongside a weaker team-mate in Lance Stroll, who has failed to complete larger than the two-time F1 champion since becoming a member of forces in 2023. So whether or not Alonso is performing precisely as he ought to be, or is in actual fact maximising the automobile, is an enormous query mark.
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What’s the purpose in F1 2026 for Aston Martin?
The instant purpose for Aston Martin is to return to the state it was at the beginning of 2023, when it was the closest challenger to the dominant Crimson Bull. Life was unbelievable for the British squad again then, clearly delivering on the hype which comes with important funding and as if it was forward of its personal curve in reaching success.
However then its rivals out-developed the workforce all through the season and the inevitable decline got here, with simply two podiums for Alonso within the last 14 grands prix of the marketing campaign earlier than none ever since.
Clearly one doesn’t count on Aston to all of the sudden be the second-best workforce once more, nevertheless it wants to point out important enhancements and be able to difficult final yr’s high 4 for podiums – heck, even wins earlier than too lengthy.
As a result of if the British marque can not obtain that on this new period, the place all the things resets, then when can it?
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