Fernando Alonso says he believes Aston Martin will eventually have the best car in Formula 1 – with Adrian Newey leading the team’s design programme.
The two-time world champion spoke after a difficult start to pre-season testing for the new 2026 Formula 1 season, but he insisted his confidence has not wavered.
Aston Martin’s new car, the AMR26, struggled early in the winter tests. Delays in completing the car meant the team completed far fewer laps than rivals in the first test in Barcelona.
In the first Bahrain test, the car was more than four seconds slower than the quickest cars, underlining the scale of the challenge ahead.
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Newey’s wealth of experience brings calm
Despite these issues, Alonso said he trusts Newey’s experience and track record in F1.
“All the things we need. He has the experience. He has been in better times, tougher times, and I think we have a clear path of improvement,” Alonso told Sky Sports F1.
Newey has more than 30 years in the sport and is widely regarded as one of the most successful designers in F1 history.
He has overseen championship-winning cars at Williams, McLaren and Red Bull before joining Aston Martin.
“There are a lot of things that we need to unlock. For us, it’s really the first test, to be honest, because missing Barcelona was not ideal,” Alonso continued.
“So, we are still going step by step, unlocking performance, and we’ve identified some areas that we need to improve.
“We said at the launch of the car that we go from maybe a little bit more difficult start on the back foot to a much better second part of the season, and I still think the same.
“The second part of the season is when we need to be where we want to be.”
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What to expect from Aston Martin at Albert Park
The Spanish driver also explained that the car the team will bring to the first race of the season in Australia will be very different from the version seen in testing.
“Melbourne’s car is going to be very different,” confirmed Alonso. “I saw some pictures, and Adrian said at the launch as well.
“Not only Melbourne, we have a guy that after 30-plus years in Formula 1 has been dominating the sport all of those, so eventually we will have the best car.
“It’s a matter of time, but we want to have that as soon as possible.”
Aston Martin’s potential bright future
Alonso’s optimism comes amid wider pressure on Aston Martin.
The team’s performance gap to the fastest cars is clear, and rivals have questioned whether the British team can challenge for wins soon.
Still, the presence of Newey, combined with new rules and technical partnerships, gives Alonso reason to believe that Aston Martin’s future could be brighter than its present.
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SportJustSport writers