Aston Martin targets two-car Hungary upgrade despite “big undertaking”

Aston Martin’s Hungary upgrade faces a race against time

Aston Martin is working flat out to bring its planned Formula 1 upgrade package to Hungary, with chief trackside officer Mike Krack confident that both cars will be ready despite a demanding production schedule.

The Silverstone-based team has endured a difficult start to 2026. Fernando Alonso’s point in Monaco stands as its only score, while Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez lost potential top-10 finishes after receiving time penalties. The result has left Aston Martin isolated at the back of the field and around one second per lap behind Cadillac in qualifying.

Krack described the effort required to prepare the package as a “big undertaking”. The immediate target is to have both cars equipped, although Aston Martin is unlikely to arrive with a full stock of replacement components.

“Everybody works flat out to get the parts, to get the cars ready. It’s a big undertaking if you decide to do it like that,” Krack said. “So, I think we will have two cars ready to go. I don’t think we will have five spares of each, to be honest.”

Reliability came before performance

Aston Martin’s development path has been shaped by problems at the interface between its Honda engine and chassis. Vibration issues and battery failures forced the team to direct resources towards resolving reliability faults as they emerged, leaving performance upgrades on hold.

The team therefore delayed its aerodynamic changes until the final race before the summer break. The broader Honda-related picture has also remained central to Aston Martin’s 2026 challenge, as outlined in Honda confirms Aston Martin power unit upgrade for Dutch Grand Prix.

If individual components fail to arrive in time, Krack said the package would not be dependent on a single part. Aston Martin has prepared alternative plans to run the available upgrades, although it will not have complete backup coverage for every component.

Managing expectations in Hungary

Krack stressed that Aston Martin must first get the upgraded car onto the track before judging its impact. The team remains a long way from both the front and the midfield, making any immediate performance prediction difficult.

“The most important for all of us is that we go back racing,” he said. “And then we see where we will end up.”

The Hungarian Grand Prix will therefore serve as a critical first measurement of whether Aston Martin’s delayed aerodynamic investment can begin to close its deficit. Krack acknowledged that circuit characteristics will expose different strengths and weaknesses, but said the team is focused on improving the car and establishing where it stands.