Aston Martin's Pre-Season Woes and Future Optimism

Aston Martin has openly acknowledged their underwhelming performance following the initial 2026 pre-season test in Bahrain, yet the team harbors significant hope for their ambitious future in Formula 1. As the opening Australian Grand Prix approaches on March 6-8, team representative Pedro de la Rosa provided a stark evaluation: "The bottom line is we are slow. We are not where we want to be."

Driver Lance Stroll echoed this sentiment during media interactions in Bahrain, appearing disheartened as he highlighted areas for improvement: "engine, balance, grip," and estimating they are "four seconds off the top teams." His teammate, two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, agreed that more work is needed, stating, "We need more performance." He added, "Missing [most of] Barcelona was not ideal, this is the very first test for us, so we’re still going step-by-step into the car. We are a little bit on the back foot, we have to admit that, but hopefully there is time to improve."

Unpacking the Challenges

Despite substantial investments—including a cutting-edge factory, wind tunnel, a new partnership with Honda for power units, and the addition of legendary designer Adrian Newey—the team faces integration hurdles. The wind tunnel only began testing the 2026 model in April last year, four months behind competitors, compressing Newey's development timeline since joining in March into just 10 months.

This delay meant limited running in Barcelona's shakedown, with the team arriving late and accumulating far less mileage than rivals before Bahrain. Aston Martin is also venturing into new territory by manufacturing their own gearbox and suspension, previously sourced from Mercedes, requiring entirely new workstreams. The Honda power unit, marking their return after leaving in 2021, is being built from scratch, drawing lessons from past experiences like their 2015 McLaren partnership.

Progress and Positivity

During Bahrain testing, Aston Martin completed 206 laps—equivalent to about 3.5 race distances—providing valuable data despite some teething issues with their innovative Newey-designed car. The team views this as a long-term endeavor, roughly halfway through a 10-year plan to contend for wins and titles.

Focus is on allowing Newey's designs to evolve and building consistent development capabilities. Newey, with championships at Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull, is seen as the key to realizing owner Lawrence Stroll's vision. Alonso expressed confidence in the chassis: "On the chassis there is no doubt, we have the best with us. After 30 plus years of Adrian Newey dominating the sport, I think no one will doubt that we will find a way to have the best car eventually."

Stroll reinforced this outlook: "We are where we are. Do we want to fight for race wins? Yes. Are we fighting for race wins today? It doesn't look like it. Does that mean we can’t fight for race wins in the future? No, I believe we can." He emphasized ongoing efforts: "We are pushing as hard as we can. We are focused on bringing performance to the car, to the engine every single second of every single day."

While a midfield start seems likely, rapid changes are anticipated, with Newey noting the car will look markedly different by the Australian Grand Prix. Aston Martin believes they possess the resources to catch up and thrive, though the exact timeline remains uncertain.