Aston Martin has been the final Formula 1 team to reveal their new car for the 2026 season, the AMR26, and perhaps it was the most anticipated team to do it, as it's the first new car designed by Adrian Newey, the famed engineer whose cars have won 25 World Championships (13 drivers' titles, 12 constructors' championships) and 220 races, and who will have the double role of general manager and technical director.
It will also be the only team with Honda engines, after the Japanese firm ended the agreement with Red Bull. All of that, and with the unpredictability brought by the new Formula 1 regulations, could make Aston Martin a true contender for victories and even World Titles, after finishing seventh and fifth in the constructors' standings in the last years.
"With brand new regulations, the best philosophy is never immediately obvious, and your understanding evolves as the car develops", said Newey in the presentation of the car on Monday night in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, near Aramco's headquarters. "With the AMR26 we've taken a holistic approach: it's not about one standout component, but how the full package works together."
Fernando Alonso, who won his two World Championships two decades ago, in 2005 and 2006, and hasn't won a Grand Prix since 2013, could face his final year at the sport, as he will turn 45 in the final year of his contract with Aston Martin. "I've been racing against Adrian for the whole of my career, and now, finally, I can drive one of his cars", said the Spaniard.
He will partner for the fourth year in a row with Lance Stroll, son of the team's owner. Do you think Aston Martin will win races in the 2026 Formula 1 season?