Sacrificing 2025 for 2026? Aston Martin's Dilemma

If the first days of Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari have been making international headlines for several weeks, those of Adrian Newey at Aston Martin did not lack attention. At the beginning of March, the brilliant engineer took up his new position from Red Bull, with the responsibility of looking at the new 2026 regulations to help the Greens make the transition as successful as possible. "On the first day, we went for a walk towards the wind tunnel. It was interesting to see him study the section, carefully observing certain aspects of the model technology and the measuring equipment." reveals Andy Cowell, the new Aston Martin boss, about Adrian Newey's first days at the Silverstone campus. “Very quickly, he was already back in the engineering office, analyzing the 2026 regulations and thinking about the compromises needed to design a fast car with these new rules.”

Adrian Newey has a year ahead of him to make Aston Martin shine, but between now and then, the British team has a season to play. In 2024, the British team finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship, a far cry from their owner's grand ambitions. The team Fernando Alonso et Lance stroll seemed already focused on 2026, even before the start of the current year where his performance is still a mystery for the time being. Pre-season testing in Bahrain suggested a certain delay compared to many teams. Enough to predict a difficult year for Lawrence Stroll's team. But will the Canadian billionaire risk sacrificing an entire year to bet his all on 2026?

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Aston Martin is waiting to see where it stands before making a decision.

“It’s something we all have to balance.” assures Andy Cowell, when asked about the difficulty of reconciling the development of the 2025 and 2026 cars in the coming months. “This year, we have 24 races on the calendar, and at the same time, we want to continue developing our cars. But we also have new regulations for 2026, with different aerodynamics, new power units, and different fuels. So, how do we find the right balance in a world where there is a budget cap and aerodynamic restrictions in CFD and the wind tunnel? Everyone has to make their own strategic choices and determine the best approach.”

"Adrian's arrival brings immense experience and an exceptional competitive spirit." continues the man who previously headed the engine department of Mercedes. "For now, we have chosen to have him work on the 2026 car, and he is putting a lot of effort into understanding all the issues. Perhaps after the first races, once we have identified the strengths and weaknesses of our current car, he will be able to suggest some developments for the car from 2025. But we are a team in full transformation, with a new wind tunnel and a lot of equipment under development within the factory. The goal is for everything to work together cohesively and contribute to building the team and the mindset needed to create the fastest car possible."

Aston Martin will also have to manage the arrival of a new engine supplier: Honda will replace Mercedes as the power unit supplier for the British single-seaters. The Japanese will arrive in 2026 with the hope of returning to the pinnacle of the sport, where Red Bull has so accustomed them to reigning.

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