Aston Martin's Challenging Start and Hope for Upgrades

Aston Martin has had a difficult start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, with the AMR26 car plagued by reliability issues and a lack of pace compared to competitors. However, the team is hopeful that planned upgrades, expected to arrive in the summer, will turn their fortunes around.

Pedro de la Rosa's Perspective

Pedro de la Rosa, the team's representative, acknowledged the current difficulties but emphasized the team's confidence in the upcoming upgrades. He stated, “Definitely not yet. We are where we are. It’s a difficult start, especially because we are in a position that we were not expecting to be in.”

De la Rosa highlighted the progress made so far, such as resolving vibration issues, but noted that significant improvements are expected only with the summer updates. He added, “However, there are really a lot of things happening behind the scenes in the factory which makes us believe that the upgrades, all the significant changes that we will introduce around the summer, will deliver.”

Praise for Drivers and Team Principal

De la Rosa also commended drivers Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll for their efforts and praised Team Principal Adrian Newey for his work ethic and leadership. He remarked, “He’s one of those engineers that always listens to the driver more than anyone I’ve ever worked with, which is really beautiful to see as a former driver.”

He further noted, “What makes him special is that actually he delivers. It’s great to see him in the team, really. He’s a great leader and someone that is truly inspirational for all of us and for so many young engineers that have joined Aston Martin.”

Looking Ahead

While the team is optimistic about the future, they remain focused on the current challenges. De la Rosa concluded, “I would prefer to delay this when we see the light, when the actual upgrades are running and we can rely on facts.”