F1 news: What is going on with Aston Martin ahead of the 2026 season?

By Ella Magyar

On paper, Aston Martin should be perfectly positioned for 2026. So why does everything seem uncertain – especially after the appointment of Adrian Newey?

After a terrible start in pre-season testing, heads have turned to the struggles at Aston Martin, leaving fans questioning their position ahead of the start of the season in Melbourne.

The Adrian Newey factor

One of the biggest storylines ahead of the 2026 season was the arrival of Newey.

After leaving Red Bull Racing, Newey’s move to Aston Martin sent shockwaves through the paddock. 

For a team that has fluctuated between podium contenders and midfield strugglers, securing arguably the greatest car builder the sport has ever seen signals serious intent.

However, what was meant to be the key to success hasn’t yet worked out for the team.

Although arriving at the team in 2025, Newey’s focus was meant to be solely on designing the 2026 challenger. 

However, with the team seriously uncompetitive in 2025, Newey’s focus shifted slightly.

Partnered with the team being unable to get a model of the 2026 car into the wind tunnel until mid-April, the certainty of success with a Newey-designed car began to slip away.

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The Honda works deal

For 2026, Aston Martin switched engine suppliers from Mercedes to an exclusive works deal with Honda, ending Honda’s relationship with Red Bull’s engine program.

Could Honda replicate the dominant success it helped produce at Red Bull, or is starting fresh with Aston Martin a risk during a regulation reset?

Under the new 2026 regulations, getting the power unit right is critical to performance, and so far, Honda has gotten it far from right.

During the pre-season tests, the Honda engine proved to be the most unreliable, with Honda itself unable to identify what is wrong with their engine.

This story is markedly similar to that of Honda’s return to F1 with McLaren in 2015 in the disappointment and failure it has brought. 

Considering that the McLaren x Honda issues took three years to fix, does this mean Aston Martin’s 2026 season is over before it has really even begun?

Pre-2026 performance slide

The misery at Aston Martin isn’t exactly new either.

After a sensational start to the 2023 season, Aston Martin slipped back towards the midfield across 2024 and 2025, dropping two places in the World Constructors Championship order.

With this disappointment, billionaire Executive Chairman of Aston Martin, Lawrence Stroll, seemingly threw money at the problem by building a new, expensive, state-of-the-art factory and wind tunnel for the 2026 season.

These facilities were supposed to accelerate progress, not coincide with inconsistency, and are so far looking like another disappointment for the team.

Pre-season testing woes

Early whispers from the paddock suggested Aston Martin’s 2026 challenger was looking competitive.

When Newey’s AMR26 rolled out of the pits for the first time in the Barcelona shakedown, its aggressive design captured intrigue from everyone in the paddock, despite its late arrival.

However, as pre-season testing progressed, this promise turned into genuine concern.

Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll reported to the media that the team was a worryingly four and a half seconds off the pace. 

While lap times in pre-season testing are notoriously misleading, reliability issues, limited mileage, and inconsistent long-run pace have quickly sparked worry.

On day one, the car only managed four laps before breaking down at the pit lane entrance due to engine problems. 

From abnormal vibrations to battery issues and a shortage of parts, Aston Martin’s engine complications proved detrimental to their running.

With a late, slow, and unreliable car, Aston Martin proved to be the worst showing on the grid in 2026’s pre-season testing. But how will they fare in the first race?

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What will the Australian Grand Prix bring?

The season-opening Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne will be the first real verdict.

Testing forms narratives. Melbourne delivers answers.

If Aston Martin arrives fighting near the front, the Newey-Honda 2026 project will gain credibility. If they’re battling in the midfield, or worse, the questions will intensify rapidly.

For a team that has framed 2026 as its defining moment, the optics of round one matter enormously. 

A strong showing resets the tone. A disappointing one fuels the “what’s going on” narrative.

However, with Aston Martin only managing to complete 128 laps throughout all of pre-season testing, less than half of the next team with the fewest laps, the question turns from performance to the ability to even complete the Grand Prix.

Time will tell over the coming races as to whether Aston Martin will be able to turn their season around from the woes of testing.

Is 2026 the beginning of a green dynasty or an expensive rebuild?

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