A much-needed overhaul

Aston Martin brought a sweeping upgrade package to the Hungarian Grand Prix, its first substantial development of the 2026 season. A document published by the FIA on Friday listed 16 new components, affecting the floor, bodywork, sidepods, engine cover, diffuser, nose, front wing, rear wing, cooling louvers and rear suspension. The Silverstone team had spent half a year addressing a car that was overweight, aerodynamically weak and hamstrung by a fragile Honda power unit.

“The upgrade consists of a major aerodynamic optimization and a weight reduction. That's the key, or rather the critical point.”

Newey's phased recovery

Adrian Newey described the Hungarian package as only the opening move. After Friday's first practice session he said the provisional results were encouraging.

“The provisional results are promising. It's only a part of the package, so we will take more steps in Zandvoort and then in Monza and Baku. This is the first part of our planned upgrade.”

He set a deliberately modest short-term target: at least a point and a measure of respectability. "The first races have been a real nightmare; hopefully we can get at least a point and some dignity," Newey added. Fernando Alonso's 10th place in Monaco, helped by penalties for rivals, remains Aston Martin's only point of the season.

Rivals take notice

Williams driver Alex Albon identified the upgraded Aston as the team to beat in qualifying. He conceded that the green car would be faster in the Hungaroring's slower corners, while Williams retained an advantage on the straights.

“Aston Martin has taken a big step forward, so it's most likely that, well, in many corners they will be faster than us. Even in this weekend's qualifying, Aston Martin is without a doubt the one we have to try to beat.”

Albon said the cornering performance "is what scares me, because it's been a long time since we've managed that."

Alonso's outlook

The Spaniard will turn 45 next week, with 23 of those years spent in Formula 1. His two world titles with Renault are a distant memory, and his Aston Martin stint has yet to produce the resurgence many hoped for after eight podiums in 2023. Alonso has a contract for next year and insists he is staying. "I have a contract, so I'm not moving," he said from Budapest. The Hungarian circuit is where he scored his first grand prix win 23 years ago; this weekend could show whether the AMR26B can deliver more than a symbolic return.

In first practice Alonso finished 13th, 2.4 seconds off Charles Leclerc's fastest time, the second-closest gap Aston Martin has posted in any FP1 session this season. From Barcelona to Spa the average gap had widened to 3.8 seconds. A partial improvement on Friday was enough to suggest the team is no longer simply lapping circuits, though the true test will come in qualifying and the race.