Adrian Newey targets respectability as Aston Martin seek to reverse early season nightmare

The struggling team introduced the first stage of a major aerodynamic upgrade package at the Hungaroring. Sixteen changes were listed in the FIA’s pre-event submission document.

Fernando Alonso finished Friday’s opening practice session in P13 place, 2.4 seconds behind the fastest time. Lance Stroll’s running ended prematurely after a dramatic spin between Turns 2 and 3.

Newey, Aston Martin’s Managing Technical Partner and Team Principal, stressed the team still has limited data and insufficient spare components: “It’s very early days in terms of understanding it. The provisional results are promising.

“It’s only part of the package. We’ll have some more steps in Zandvoort, and then further steps in Monza and Baku. It’s the first part of our planned upgrade. We’re very short on parts, so we’re being careful and trying to learn all about it," said Newey, of the car that should have broken cover in testing five motnhs ago.

Aston Martin arrived in Hungary second last in the 2026 F1 Constructors’ Championship battle, having scored only one point during a difficult opening 10 rounds. The AMR26 has lacked both performance and consistency, while Honda’s new power unit has also fallen below expectations during Formula 1’s latest regulation cycle.

Newey explained that the Hungary package focuses primarily on aerodynamic development rather than altering the car’s fundamental architecture: “It’s an evolution in as much as the chassis is the same, the layout is the same, the front suspension is the same.

"It’s very much an aerodynamic evolution. We were very short on research time prior to launching the car in Barcelona, so it’s really been a matter of taking a step back, trying to understand, and going forward with this package," exlplaiend the 67-year-old Englishman.

Rather than setting a specific points or finishing-position target, Newey said Aston Martin must improve its processes: “I’ve never been a fan of setting goals. I’m much more a fan of working logically through problems, getting everybody working together, getting the culture together, and at that point, you end up where you end up.”

Aston Martin finished P5 in the Constructors’ Championship in both 2023 and 2024 but has fallen sharply since then.

Newey acknowledged the severity of the team’s current position while outlining the first realistic milestone for its recovery: “These first races have been a complete nightmare. Hopefully we can get at least to a point of respectability now – I think that’s the immediate goal. Then from there, we can try to keep moving forwards.”

However, Stroll’s FP1 stoppage underlined the risks surrounding such an extensive upgrade programme. Aston Martin reported a suspected rear-left suspension problem, although Newey said the main area involved had not been fundamentally redesigned.

“The area involved has actually not been changed. We are short on spares, because the cladding and so forth is different. There are some minor changes to that area. In that sense, it’s very unexpected," he revealed.

Clearly, the Hungary package will not instantly transform AMR26 into a frontrunner. Its significance lies in whether it provides a reliable development direction before further upgrades arrive at Zandvoort, Monza and Baku.

For Newey, restoring credibility comes before chasing podiums. Hungary offers the first indication that Aston Martin may finally be moving away from the back of the grid.