Russell: “In Barcelona, everyone was enchanted by the Aston Martin’s rear suspension”
The Aston Martin AMR26 is a triumph of beauty and technical prowess—a sentiment recognized even by Mercedes driver George Russell. The British driver, widely considered a favorite for the upcoming season, spoke during the championship’s inaugural ceremony about being ecstatic over the work done by the legendary designer, while simultaneously throwing down a gauntlet of sorts.
It was a remark aimed at sparking a challenge: “What Adrian has managed to do on that car is truly spectacular. During the Barcelona shakedown, Aston Martin definitely had the most exceptional car in terms of design.”
“I think everyone was enchanted by the rear suspension,” Russell continued, just before laying out his provocative warning. “On a visual level, the work is truly impressive, but this isn’t a beauty pageant. The competition is won by the fastest car, and everyone will want to draw inspiration from it.”
The verdict in Melbourne
As for when we can begin to understand who has truly done a better job than the rest, the Mercedes star has no doubts: “We’ll find out as early as Melbourne.” Even though Mercedes is already seen by many as the benchmark for the new era, it doesn’t mean the AMR26 couldn’t take that crown instead.
“What Newey has done is impressive, plus they are running a Honda engine. A manufacturer that allowed Red Bull to compete at the highest levels in recent years,” he concluded.
George Russell’s mix of admiration and competitive grit regarding the Aston Martin AMR26 highlights the intense psychological warfare already brewing ahead of the 2026 season opener. While Newey’s radical rear suspension and extreme aerodynamic packaging have clearly set a new visual standard for the grid, Russell’s “beauty pageant” comment serves as a grounded reminder that aesthetic innovation only matters if it translates into lap time. With the reliability of the Honda power unit backing Newey’s design genius, the battle between the conceptually extreme Aston Martin and the structurally robust Mercedes W17 will likely be the defining technical narrative of the Australian Grand Prix.
George Russell has acknowledged the visual and technical brilliance of Adrian Newey’s latest creation, but he remains adamant that the true hierarchy will be decided by the stopwatch in Melbourne rather than the elegance of the design.
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