There's no competition for the "worst surprise" award of the 2026 Formula 1 season start, as Aston Martin - despite all the hype around Adrian Newey joining the team and leading it into the new era - sits second from last in the constructors' championship after seven rounds.
With one point on the board, it is only ahead of Cadillac, the completely new project that was expected to struggle in its first season.
Aston Martin's results are way off pre-season expectations. With multiple high-profile hires, brand-new facilities at Silverstone and, crucially, Newey coming on board last spring, the team was supposed to be on the way up. Yet the AMR26 is clearly one of the slowest cars on the grid.
While it is difficult to determine whether this year's struggles are solely the result of Honda failing to deliver a competitive engine, it's impossible to judge whether the Newey-led technical team shares at least some responsibility for the disappointing start to the season.
Having qualified last in Barcelona, Fernando Alonso said such results are not surprising for him, as Aston Martin has "the worst car and the worst engine" in F1.
With one point on the board, it is only ahead of Cadillac, the completely new project that was expected to struggle in its first season.
Aston Martin's results are way off pre-season expectations. With multiple high-profile hires, brand-new facilities at Silverstone and, crucially, Newey coming on board last spring, the team was supposed to be on the way up. Yet the AMR26 is clearly one of the slowest cars on the grid.
While it is difficult to determine whether this year's struggles are solely the result of Honda failing to deliver a competitive engine, it's impossible to judge whether the Newey-led technical team shares at least some responsibility for the disappointing start to the season.
Having qualified last in Barcelona, Fernando Alonso said such results are not surprising for him, as Aston Martin has "the worst car and the worst engine" in F1.
4 months ago
