After Williams announced its absence, new challenges are emerging for the Silverstone team. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll might only get to drive the AMR26 on the third day of pre-season testing at best, with a real risk that their first laps could be delayed until Friday.
At team headquarters, it has been a true race against time to be ready for the pre-season tests starting tomorrow at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona. Williams officially confirmed it will not participate in the Spanish tests, and in the past hours, reports have surfaced about a delicate situation at Aston Martin.
It is now certain that Aston Martin will not be on track during the first two days, and even Wednesday’s presence is in doubt. If everything goes according to plan, Alonso and Stroll could finally complete their first laps in the new car on Thursday, limiting lost track time. The team’s hospitality and support structures are fully in place in the Montmeló paddock, but no scenario can be ruled out at this stage.
The news of delays in Aston Martin’s program is not entirely unexpected. Rumors had already circulated in early January about possible reconsiderations related to the project led by Adrian Newey. These changes reportedly affected the original schedule. On the Honda side as well, sources suggest that the margin to meet the original timeline is extremely tight, with additional logistical challenges compared to direct rivals.
It cannot be ruled out, however, that these are minor issues that arose during the final assembly of the car. With an already tight schedule, even small setbacks can have significant repercussions. There have been no reports of problems with crash tests, which were completed successfully some time ago without incident.
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