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Adrian Newey has outlined the first concrete details of Aston Martin’s long-awaited AMR26 upgrade, with the package scheduled to arrive in Hungary on both cars before the summer break.
The team has yet to introduce an upgrade to its 2026 car, instead working through the problems affecting the current package. Those issues have included concerns around the gearbox and the Honda power unit, leaving Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll waiting for the substantial development step that Aston Martin has repeatedly signalled.
That wait is now approaching a decisive point. Newey, Aston Martin’s managing technical partner, has made clear that this is not a routine update. The extent of the work has forced the team to re-homologate and re-crash test the chassis, underlining the structural significance of the package.
As previously explored in our coverage of Alonso’s hidden Aston Martin progress despite the Austrian GP setback, the team has been seeking gains while managing underlying limitations. Hungary is now set to reveal how much of that work can be translated into lap time.
“We plan to introduce our upgrade in Hungary on both cars,” Newey told AstonMartinF1.com.
He explained that the main structural layout remains familiar, but the detail changes are substantial. “The main structural elements remain the same – the chassis and gearbox architecture don’t fundamentally change – but we’ve taken weight out of both, which required re-homologating and crash testing the forward chassis.”
The front suspension will remain unchanged, while the rear suspension has been slightly revised. Aston Martin has also developed a new nose and made major changes to the aerodynamic surfaces, making this a broad package rather than a single-area fix.
Newey described it as “a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction”, with the target being to move the AMR26 very close to the weight limit. In performance terms, that combination is exactly where Aston Martin needs the upgrade to deliver: less mass, more efficient surfaces, and a cleaner platform for both drivers.
Despite predicting a significant step, Newey avoided attaching firm numbers to the expected improvement. His caution was rooted in Aston Martin’s simulation capabilities, which he said are not yet as advanced or as well correlated as required.
“Historically, at this team, there hasn’t been enough investment in engineering simulation tools – not just project management systems, but the core physics tools themselves,” he said.
Newey added that investment is now being made, but stressed that rewriting, validating and correlating those tools with the real car takes time. The immediate Hungary upgrade is expected to move the AMR26 forward, but the deeper benefits from Aston Martin’s simulation work are projected to come later in the year.
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.