Despite a very difficult start to pre-season testing, the two-time Formula 1 world champion has not lost hope of being competitive already in the second half of the 2026 championship.
Aston Martin facing an uphill start
Among the most disappointing teams in the opening pre-season test session in Bahrain is undoubtedly Aston Martin. The latest car conceived under the guidance of Adrian Newey is said in the paddock to be at least four months behind its rivals. And, continuing the theme of “four,” Lance Stroll even spoke of a gap of four and a half seconds to the leading teams.
Although clearly frustrated, Fernando Alonso has taken a slightly less blunt approach, even while acknowledging the issues affecting the AMR26. The problems range from aerodynamic performance to integration with the Honda power unit, as well as the gearbox—designed and built in-house for the first time by Aston Martin instead of being supplied by the engine manufacturer, as was the case during the Mercedes power unit era.
Fernando Alonso shows confidence in Adrian Newey
Even though people close to the Spaniard have hinted at a certain level of pessimism, Fernando Alonso is trying to look ahead with confidence in Adrian Newey: “He’s everything we need. He has experience. He has lived through better moments and more difficult ones, but I think we have a clear path to improve. For us, to be honest, Bahrain was the first real test on track, because missing the Barcelona shakedown wasn’t ideal. So we’re still proceeding step by step, unlocking performance and identifying areas where we need to intervene. Already at the AMR26 launch we said we might have a slightly more difficult start, at a disadvantage, but a much stronger second half of the season.”
“I still believe that,” added the two-time Formula 1 world champion, “because it’s the second part of the season when we need to be where we want to be. Already in Melbourne the car will be very different—I’ve seen some images. We have someone in the team who, over 30 years in F1, has dominated this sport for a long time, and I believe that in the end we will have the best car. It’s only a matter of time, but we want to have it as soon as possible. I think everything is progressing smoothly in that sense. Of course, we still need to integrate the engine and the gearbox a bit more, but I believe aerodynamic performance and power unit performance will continue to be decisive, and that’s where we need to unlock more performance.”
“We don’t yet know exactly where we stand, but at the moment these are the two areas we are focusing on,” Fernando Alonso concluded.
Fernando Alonso’s unwavering support for Adrian Newey highlights the strategic patience Aston Martin is exercising as they navigate the teething problems of the 2026 regulations. While the AMR26’s initial performance in Bahrain has been underwhelming, the team’s focus on a strong second-half surge reflects a long-term vision common in Newey-led projects. As the integration between the Honda power unit and the first-ever in-house Aston Martin gearbox matures, the paddock will be watching closely to see if the Spaniard’s prediction of owning the “best car” eventually comes to fruition.
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