Aston Martin’s unexpected resurgence in Hungary: former strategist Bernie Collins believes he has uncovered the secret behind the team’s improved performance, which even surprised two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.
The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend started poorly for Aston Martin. Fernando Alonso had to skip the first practice session (FP1) due to muscular pain. However, once the car hit the track, the green British team’s car immediately showed strong pace.
Alonso qualified fifth on the grid, with teammate Lance Stroll in sixth. By the race’s end, the two-time world champion had maintained fifth position, while Stroll finished seventh.
After fourteen Grands Prix, Aston Martin sits sixth in the Constructors’ Championship standings.
Bernie Collins, the former strategist for Lawrence Stroll’s Aston Martin team, believes he understands what lies behind the team’s regained form. Speaking in an interview on the Sky Sports F1 podcast, he explained: “It looks like they brought a new front wing. That’s what everyone in the paddock is talking about — a new front wing combined with the old floor.”
The question now is whether Aston Martin can sustain this improved performance for the remainder of the season. Collins thinks it will largely depend on the characteristics of upcoming circuits, but he noted that “the change has been phenomenal.” He continued, “This year we have raced mostly on high downforce tracks, and the car has never shown performance comparable to what we saw this weekend.”
Aston Martin: the secret of the front wing
In Formula 1, a single component can make a crucial difference. Bernie Collins explained that the new front wing must have allowed Aston Martin to deliver improved airflow to the rest of the car.
“Suddenly, the entire floor works better, the diffuser works better, and the rear wing works better,” he added.
Signs of improvement are there, but much will depend on the nature of the next circuits. There are tracks where Aston Martin could perform strongly, and others where it may struggle. The turning point in Hungary was critical, especially because, as Collins stated, “Alonso was quite dissatisfied” with how the season had been progressing so far.
At the moment, even Aston Martin itself cannot fully explain the sudden upturn in pace. After the race in Hungary, Alonso admitted he was surprised: “The positive thing is that we were competitive and fast. The worrying thing is that we don’t know why.”
However, the Spaniard also emphasized how important the introduction of the new front wing had been. “If it gives us this much performance, that’s great news. But I think we need to understand it as we go along.”
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