Aston Martin seems to have taken an important step forward with the new updates. After two years of getting it wrong, with each update being a step backwards, in Italy they showed that they have taken a step forward. It is still too early to gauge the real impact of the updates; we will have to see how they perform on other circuits. But the truth is that these are the first updates with the team at full strength after the multiple changes they have undergone, both in the factory and with new staff and engineers, and some are comparing it to the turnaround McLaren made two seasons ago.
Changes at Aston Martin
Since the arrival of Lawrence Stroll in 2021, Aston Martin has undergone a radical change with the aim of becoming one of the leading teams in F1, with its sights set on 2026 and the arrival of the new regulations. The Silverstone factory is completely new, and investment has been made to equip it with the latest and most powerful technological tools to optimize Aston Martin’s development. The crown jewel is the new wind tunnel, the first owned by the team, which is still being calibrated to ensure 100% effectiveness, but seems to be yielding good results.
The other major investment has been in the team’s engineers, such as Andy Cowell, Chris Cronin, and Enrico Cardile, big names behind F1, but if there is one name that stands out above all others, it is Adrian Newey, the most successful man in F1 history, and the team he joins always ends up becoming world champion.
In recent months, the team has begun to put together a working team with clear roles, somewhat late in the day, as demonstrated by the AMR25, which has been fighting to avoid being the worst car on the grid. However, the first updates of the season, under the command of the aforementioned innovations, saw the team make a spectacular leap forward in the first race, achieving fifth and eighth place in Saturday’s qualifying, which they were unable to finish in the race due to incidents that seriously and clearly hampered them.
The new McLaren?
McLaren dominates the F1 World Championship and is the current constructors’ champion. But until very recently, it was one of the worst teams on the grid, gradually improving to midfield. The rebuilding of the team was completed at the end of 2023 with its new wind tunnel, and the results came in 2024. That year, it started out as a team to watch, fighting to break into the top five, but after the first few updates, it began to fly in unimaginable fashion.
It managed to take the lead in the Constructors’ Championship in the summer and no one moved them from there until they won the 2024 World Championship. They were able to fight for the Drivers’ Championship, but by the time they realized they could do it, it was too late to take the title away from Verstappen. But at the start of this season, they are dominating with an iron fist and only the Dutch driver can jeopardize the Drivers’ Championship, not the Constructors’ Championship.
At Aston Martin, there is hope that the same thing could happen with Aston Martin. The team has finally managed to introduce a package of updates that works, and works very well. For the Barcelona Grand Prix, from May 30 to June 1, the team will bring new parts, and although they remain cautious, they are very hopeful of making a statement, a declaration of intent for the 2026 World Championship.
Aston Martin is confident about what lies ahead. It has not been an easy season, but it seems that they have managed to find the right formula. The next few races will be key for 2025 and a good indicator of what is to come for next year, 2026.