Just In: Fernando Alonso issues ‘incredible’ Aston Martin F1 verdict after Adrian Newey…Read More

Just In: Fernando Alonso issues ‘incredible’ Aston Martin F1 verdict after Adrian Newey upgrades

Fernando Alonso has delivered an encouraging assessment of Aston Martin’s progress after the team introduced a series of major upgrades designed by Adrian Newey. Despite another difficult weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix, the two-time world champion believes the underlying Aston Martin AMR26 has improved significantly and now offers a much stronger foundation for the remainder of the season.

Aston Martin’s 2026 campaign began in disappointing fashion. The team had entered the new technical era with ambitious expectations, particularly following Newey’s arrival, but the early version of the AMR26 struggled badly for both performance and reliability. The Silverstone-based team spent much of the opening part of the season near the back of the field, leaving Alonso and Lance Stroll with a difficult car to extract performance from.

Newey responded by taking a different approach to development. Instead of introducing a series of small improvements, Aston Martin concentrated its resources on a substantial upgrade package. That major overhaul arrived at the Hungarian Grand Prix before the summer break and immediately provided signs that the team had made meaningful progress.

Further changes were introduced for the Dutch Grand Prix, while Honda also supplied an upgraded power unit for the second half of the season. The combination was expected to give Aston Martin another opportunity to close the gap to its rivals. However, Alonso’s weekend at Zandvoort has demonstrated that improving the car is only part of the challenge.

The Spaniard has been particularly positive about the chassis. Alonso believes Aston Martin now has a much better platform underneath it, describing the chassis as very good and suggesting that there is still considerable lap time available once the remaining problems are addressed.

That optimism is important because Alonso’s results at Zandvoort have not reflected the improvement he sees in the car. He qualified 18th for Sunday’s Grand Prix after previously struggling during Sprint Qualifying. The result was frustrating, especially because Aston Martin had hoped its latest developments would produce a more obvious improvement on the timing screens.

One of the biggest obstacles has been the Honda power unit. Alonso has experienced problems throughout the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, limiting his ability to take full advantage of the improved chassis. The Spaniard has indicated that Aston Martin could find additional performance once Honda resolves those power-unit difficulties.

That distinction is crucial. Aston Martin’s disappointing qualifying position does not necessarily mean Newey’s upgrades have failed. Instead, the latest evidence suggests that the chassis has made progress, while the power unit and other areas continue to prevent the team from showing its full potential.

Newey’s influence is therefore becoming increasingly important. The renowned designer has already made major decisions about the team’s development direction, and Aston Martin’s significant mid-season improvement provides some evidence that his long-term approach is beginning to produce results.

The team is also already looking beyond 2026. Newey has confirmed that Aston Martin has begun making the major architectural decisions for its 2027 car, including the positioning of the engine, chassis and suspension concepts. He has also stressed the importance of starting the next project earlier so the team can avoid the development delays that affected its 2026 preparation.

For Alonso, that longer-term project could be particularly significant. The veteran driver remains one of Formula 1’s most experienced competitors, and Aston Martin’s ability to provide him with a genuinely competitive car will be central to his future ambitions.

The immediate challenge, however, is getting the current package to work consistently. Alonso’s comments suggest that he remains confident in the team’s direction despite the disappointing results at Zandvoort.

Aston Martin may not yet be challenging Mercedes, Ferrari or McLaren on a regular basis, but the latest developments offer a reason for optimism. Newey’s upgrades appear to have addressed some of the weaknesses of the original AMR26, while the team continues working with Honda to improve the power unit.

For Alonso, the verdict is clear: the Aston Martin chassis has taken an important step forward. The next challenge is ensuring that the rest of the package can finally allow that progress to be seen on the track.

If Aston Martin succeeds, the “incredible” turnaround Alonso has praised could become the beginning of a much more competitive chapter for the team.