Aston Martin finally got off the mark in Monaco thanks to Fernando Alonso, but no one at the British team is under any illusions. Despite this first point of the season, the green car remains one of the least competitive on the grid, and Adrian Newey knows that the road back to the front of the grid will be a long one.
Newey admits the extent of the delay
Present in the paddock for the first time since the start of the championship in Australia, the legendary engineer gave a frank assessment of his team's situation.
Since his arrival, Adrian Newey is working behind the scenes to restructure the development of the AMR26. However, results are slow to arrive and Aston Martin still occupies the bottom of the rankings.
The Briton acknowledged that the team had deliberately put aside the small improvements planned at the start of the season to focus on a much more ambitious project.
« We decided to take more time to understand the car and prepare something bigger., has explained Newey.
According to him, the first races mainly served to identify the fundamental weaknesses of the single-seater designed before his arrival.
A major development expected before the summer
While several teams regularly bring in new parts, Aston Martin chose a different strategy. Newey confirmed that a major package of upgrades should appear just before the summer break.
The objective is clear: to correct the car's structural defects rather than accumulate marginal gains.
"We accept a difficult period in the short term with the hope of making a real leap forward when this update arrives." ", did he declare.
This decision shows that the British team is already looking beyond the next few races and is aiming for a deeper rebuild.
Alonso saves face in Monaco
The first point earned by Fernando Alonso In the Principality, however, it provides a bit of a boost to the team. Taking advantage of racing incidents and penalties handed out after the finish, the Spaniard offered Aston Martin an unexpected result.
But this top 10 doesn't mask the reality. Both cars started from the back of the grid and the performance gap remains considerable compared to the leaders.
The Newey project is entering a decisive phase
The arrival ofAdrian Newey had raised immense expectations. However, the British genius quickly discovered a team facing deeper problems than anticipated.
The coming months will therefore be crucial. If the major change announced lives up to its promises, Aston Martin could start to close the gap with Classic Ferrari for sale, Mercedes Benz, McLaren et Red BullOtherwise, the 2026 season risks becoming a transition year before the major regulatory change expected around 2027.
