Calm, tranquility, and caution are the words coming out of Aston Martin just over a week before the arrival of the next package of improvements for the AMR25. That’s what they’re saying publicly, but behind closed doors, there is great excitement, optimism, and hope that they will be able to take an important step forward starting with the F1 Silverstone Grand Prix.
McLaren as an example for Aston Martin
Fernando Alonso and members of Aston Martin have already said so in recent races. McLaren is the example to follow, and there is optimism about being able to follow the plan that the “papayas” managed to draw up to get where they are now, leading the World Championship and defending last year’s achievement.
The truth is that McLaren was a minor team until 2023. Although it had improved since Fernando Alonso’s time in 2018, it was a team that was stuck in the middle of the pack with many complications in finishing in the points. But the team invested in upgrades to improve, especially with the creation of its wind tunnel, which debuted at the end of 2023. At the start of the 2024 season, the car had already made a small leap forward compared to previous years, but nothing foreshadowed what was to come. And what came next were updates that put McLaren in contention for everything: they won the Constructors’ Championship, and by the time they realized they could fight for the Drivers’ Championship, with Norris as the top contender, it was already too late.
But in 2025, the trend has been the same. Not only are they still the best team, they lead the Constructors’ Championship with an iron fist and their two drivers lead the Drivers’ Championship. Now it is Aston Martin who wants to make the statement that McLaren made last year.
Aston Martin prepares its first major upgrades
Aston Martin has been slow off the mark, but things seem to be starting to work at Silverstone. A wind tunnel that still needs optimizing, but is new, state-of-the-art, and better than McLaren‘s, plus a team of top-level professionals, have raised expectations. The first package with the new wind tunnel stamp was in Italy—although these parts were initially made with the Mercedes wind tunnel—a basic package that has nevertheless meant a big leap forward for Fernando Alonso. But this new package is much more complete than the previous one and is 100% manufactured with new technology from Aston Martin, giving cause for hope.
Caution with updates
The updates have been simmering for weeks. They could have included them already, but they have decided to have everything tied up and make sure nothing goes wrong. That’s why they have waited until they are 100% sure about installing them, so that they really represent a step forward, the most eagerly awaited step forward. These updates are expected to significantly improve top speed, tire degradation, and cornering speed. If they work, Fernando Alonso could find himself in a fight that was unimaginable just over a month ago, battling for a place in the top 5 and even fighting for a podium finish between now and the end of the season.
Aston Martin believes in the McLarenazo, they believe they can take an important step forward this season, and they are confident they can do so, not only to improve their current results, which really matter little, but also with a view to next year, to confirm that they are on the right track and that, with the arrival of Adrian Newey, they will be able to build a winning car for next season.