Aston Martin can dominate the new regulatory era. For Montoya it all depends on Newey
The new 2026 Formula 1 regulations are approaching rapidly, with only three races left in the current season. The final triple-header will fly by as soon as the paddock gathers again for the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Once the Abu Dhabi race is over, every team will begin a race against time to prepare the new cars and ensure everything is ready for the official presentations and the first pre-season test session scheduled for the end of January.
Inside and outside the paddock, thoughts have already shifted to next season, and the first predictions are emerging. Which team will start the new era with the strongest package? Which drivers will have a realistic chance of fighting for the world championship? At the moment, Mercedes are being discussed as a potential powerhouse on the power-unit side, Audi remains a question mark, and then there is Aston Martin. Thanks to Adrian Newey’s renowned genius, the team is seen as a possible benchmark for the new aerodynamic rules, which will feature major changes, including active aerodynamics.
Montoya: “Aston Martin will have a world champion. Alonso? You cannot rule him out”
Among those who believe Lawrence Stroll’s team could immediately become a front-runner in the new regulatory cycle is former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya. In an interview with PokerStrategy, he stated: “If Adrian Newey doesn’t manage to make Aston Martin competitive in 2026, he will definitely do it in 2027. I guarantee that Aston Martin will have a world champion within the next three years.”
According to the Colombian, success will not come down only to aerodynamics. The Anglo-Canadian team’s car will be powered by Honda, the same manufacturer with whom Max Verstappen won his four world titles, and Juan Pablo Montoya believes the Japanese power-unit will once again be a top performer in its new 2026 configuration: “Every time Honda has fully committed to F1, they have won. I’m not 100% sure Aston Martin will be competitive right from the start, but if Newey finds the right grey areas in the regulations, they will dominate.” The engine will play an important role, but ultimately, in the former driver’s opinion, much of the team’s success will depend on Adrian Newey.
Aston Martin may enter 2026 well prepared, but does the team have drivers capable of fighting for the championship? Will Fernando Alonso be too old to handle the pressure that comes with a title battle? Montoya responded to this as well: “You cannot rule Fernando Alonso out of the fight for the 2026 title,” he concluded, as reported by Marca.com.
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