Aston Martin boss Adrian Newey has revealed that his team is "on the back foot" by four months ahead of the 2026 F1 season, due to delayed work on their car design and testing.
Newey attributes this delay to issues with the AMR Technology Campus, where the team's core research and development activities are based, as well as the CoreWeave Wind Tunnel, which was not fully operational until April. He also notes that he joined the team in March last year, so Aston Martin has had a head start on rivals.
As a result, the team is now playing catch-up with their competitors, who have had longer periods of time to develop and test their cars. Newey believes this will lead to an interesting first season under new regulations, as teams adjust to changes such as new engines and aerodynamic rules.
The AMR26 car features aggressive bodywork that could be seen as a departure from the rest of the grid, with Newey saying he focuses on fundamental design principles rather than trying to create cars that are overly optimized. He aims for a balance between development potential and performance in the first season.
With just 65 laps completed at the Barcelona Shakedown event last week, Aston Martin is still getting up to speed. However, Newey remains optimistic about the team's prospects for the new season, which begins with pre-season testing events in Bahrain on February 11-13 and 18-20.
The season culminates in the Australian Grand Prix from March 6-8, with the first practice sessions taking place on Friday March 6. Qualifying will follow on Saturday, with the opening race set to take place on Sunday March 7.
Newey attributes this delay to issues with the AMR Technology Campus, where the team's core research and development activities are based, as well as the CoreWeave Wind Tunnel, which was not fully operational until April. He also notes that he joined the team in March last year, so Aston Martin has had a head start on rivals.
As a result, the team is now playing catch-up with their competitors, who have had longer periods of time to develop and test their cars. Newey believes this will lead to an interesting first season under new regulations, as teams adjust to changes such as new engines and aerodynamic rules.
The AMR26 car features aggressive bodywork that could be seen as a departure from the rest of the grid, with Newey saying he focuses on fundamental design principles rather than trying to create cars that are overly optimized. He aims for a balance between development potential and performance in the first season.
With just 65 laps completed at the Barcelona Shakedown event last week, Aston Martin is still getting up to speed. However, Newey remains optimistic about the team's prospects for the new season, which begins with pre-season testing events in Bahrain on February 11-13 and 18-20.
The season culminates in the Australian Grand Prix from March 6-8, with the first practice sessions taking place on Friday March 6. Qualifying will follow on Saturday, with the opening race set to take place on Sunday March 7.
. I mean, think about it - they've had a head start in getting their new boss Adrian Newey on board, which is huge! And, let's be real, those four months might just give them an edge when the season starts 
. Plus, I love that Newey's focusin' on fundamental design principles over tryin' to be super optimized - that sounds like a more sustainable approach in the long run 
. And who knows, maybe their aggressive bodywork will actually pay off in the end 
. Still, it'll be interesting to see how they match up against the likes of Ferrari and Mercedes 
. Bring on the 2026 season! 
. Four months behind schedule? That's a big gap to close before the season starts 
. I mean, they've had some issues at their tech campus and wind tunnel, which is no joke 
. But you gotta admire Newey's attitude – focusing on fundamental design principles instead of just churning out a car that looks rad 
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. I hope they can get up to speed soon, 'cause 65 laps in two weeks ain't exactly a lot of time to fine-tune 
. Still, Newey seems optimistic, so fingers crossed for them! 
. The aggressive bodywork might raise some eyebrows, but if they've got it right, it could be a bold move forward 
. I'm intrigued to see how teams adjust to these changes and how Aston Martin's strategy plays out in the first season 
. With pre-season testing events just around the corner, it's going to be interesting to see how they perform 
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I mean, I get it, things don't always go as planned, but four months is a big chunk of time, you feel? 
AMR26 is gonna bring some heat to the track. Still gotta wait and see if they can get up to speed in time tho 
Fingers crossed for them! 
I'm actually kinda stoked about this! A delay in car design and testing can lead to some SERIOUS creativity in the garage 
. And let's be real, with new engines and aerodynamic rules coming into play, this season is gonna be ALL about adapting and innovating 
. I mean, 65 laps at Barcelona Shakedown? That's still plenty of time to get up to speed 
. But honestly, I'm still on the fence about this one... is Aston Martin going to be a dark horse or are they just going to get left behind in the dust 
Newey joining in March? That's like trying to learn how to surf by watching YouTube tutorials on a surfboard 
(GIF: A person trying to catch a wave while holding an iPad)
Still, it'll be interesting to see how their aggressive bodywork holds up against the rest of the grid 
But you know what they say, "the devil makes the grass grow greener"... or in this case, the rival teams' development is giving Aston Martin an opportunity to shine. 
or something? Well, that's kinda what's happening over at Aston Martin right now. They've got this huge project and they're running behind schedule 
. The boss is saying they're four months off from where they want to be and that's not ideal 
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. That's where the real innovation happens 
. of course, we'll see how it all plays out during pre-season testing and the aussie gp but i'm not writing them off just yet 
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. They had some major delays at their car design and testing which is pretty crazy considering they joined the team last year 
. But hey, they're gonna have to make up for lost time 
. But hey, Newey seems optimistic, so fingers crossed for them! 