Aston Martin’s early crisis

Aston Martin has opened Formula 1’s 2026 season at the back of the field, with no points after three race weekends and no fast fix in sight. (formula1.com) (skysports.com) The official standings show Aston Martin 11th and last on zero points after Australia on March 8, China on March 15, and Japan on March 29. Mercedes leads on 135 points, while even Cadillac, the new team, is ahead of Aston Martin on countback despite also having zero. (formula1.com 1) (formula1.com 2) Martin Brundle said on Sky Sports that Aston Martin is “missing three, four seconds sometimes per lap,” and said the team’s Japan qualifying pace left it on the back row at Suzuka. Sky Sports also reported Fernando Alonso’s 18th-place finish in Japan was the only time either Aston Martin had completed a full Grand Prix in the first three rounds. (skysports.com) This slump comes at the start of Formula 1’s biggest reset in years. The 2026 rules changed the chassis and the power unit together, with lighter cars, active aerodynamics, a bigger electrical share in the hybrid system, and fully sustainable fuel. (formula1.com 1) (formula1.com 2) (fia.com) Aston Martin had framed 2026 as the start of a new era, with Adrian Newey’s first car for the team and the start of its works Honda engine partnership. Formula 1’s official site said the AMR26 only reached the Barcelona shakedown after a “very compressed” build, and Newey said Aston Martin was about four months behind rivals in getting a 2026 model into the wind tunnel. (formula1.com 1) (formula1.com 2) The problems showed up before the first race. Motorsport.com reported Honda power unit issues forced an engine change in Bahrain testing, while Formula 1’s website said Alonso stopped during a race simulation and Lance Stroll later managed only a handful of untimed laps because of investigations at Honda’s Sakura factory and a shortage of power unit parts. (motorsport.com) (formula1.com) Pedro de la Rosa, Aston Martin’s team representative, said the issues were spread across “every area,” not one single weakness. He pointed to aggressive energy harvesting under braking in the new rules as one source of the instability Alonso and Stroll were feeling in the car. (formula1.com) Rivals are already talking about a slower repair process than in past rule changes. Motorsport.com reported Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane said Formula 1 may need to roll out 2026 power unit tweaks in “continuous” steps over several races rather than expect one immediate fix. (motorsport.com) Spanish newspaper La Razón reported on April 15 that Aston Martin is preparing a “B version” of the AMR26, with a target arrival around Silverstone or Spa. That timing would put any larger redesign well after the next race in Miami on May 3. (larazon.es) (formula1.com) (formula1.com) For now, Aston Martin goes into the April break with three weekends gone, zero points on the board, and the next chance to respond scheduled for Miami from May 1 to May 3. (formula1.com) (formula1.com)