Aston Martin has been the team that has made the most changes to its roadmap this season. The bumps in a demanding campaign that battered them until the seventh race, the Imola Grand Prix, have been constant. At Silverstone, they suffered until the European tour arrived, and now there are signs of a slight smile because they are getting back on track. The initial plan was to develop the AM25 driven by Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll until the end of the European triple-header in Montmeló. Once they crossed the finish line in Spain, it would be goodbye to the famous upgrades, at least for this year, in order to focus all their efforts on 2026.
Seeing the poor development on the track and the car’s dismal performance, Aston Martin decided to bring in more new parts, perhaps led by Adrian Newey, who made his debut on March 3 in his office at the Silverstone factory. He called the shots in Monaco, where he was with the team in the paddock, and announced improvements for the British Grand Prix. Against all odds. Then came more tweaks at Spa and Hungary that worked in the second test and were a disaster in the first. That said, the best news is that there is correlation between the wind tunnel and what we see on the track. It had been months in the making, and Alonso himself confirmed the good news a few days ago.
The obsession, by the way, has always been not to compromise next year, the designated 2026, in terms of using resources. And it remains so, as is the case with all teams. The time and money spent on this year’s car is being closely monitored, and the situation, which was very worrying in Miami when they were the last car, has already been turned around. At Hungaroring, they were fourth, ahead of Red Bull. In theory, development of the AMR25 should have been completed at Montmeló and then at Silverstone.
Circuit improvements and Austin
But it seems that there is no end in sight and that the fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship held by Williams (18 points ahead of Aston Martin) is an obsession for Alonso’s team. It would bring in a good amount of money and would be a psychological boost, as they have been stuck at the bottom of the grid for much of the season. They see it as increasingly possible given their upward trend and Williams’ decline. The development of the Asturian’s car may not be over yet, according to this media outlet. Beyond the specific parts for the Monza and Las Vegas circuits, which will arrive due to the characteristics of the track, with very low downforce and long straights, there is a Grand Prix marked on the calendar where tweaks to the car could be made that would serve as a test bed for next year.
What they test this year could help them gather information for 2026. It’s a path that is being paved. Zandvoort, the next race after the break, and Singapore are tracks where the AMR25 should perform well. Right after Marina Bay, in Austin, new parts could arrive to complete the development of the car and finish the season with that specification, or with the mix of parts they decide to use. The famous ‘Frankenstein’ car that they have put on the track so many times, combining different parts. The Spa wing, the Imola floor, etc. The Circuit of the Americas is very twisty and has nothing to do with the high-downforce tracks where the green car performs so well.
Aston Martin understands that bringing in an update does not compromise the development of next year’s car, the first season with new technical regulations and totally uncertain, with the biggest rule change in the history of Formula 1. There is great hope for the 2026 season, where the team’s goal is to take a step forward and fight for podiums. The AMR25 is far from dead; it still has a lot to offer and a lot to talk about. Perhaps even some joy in the remainder of the season.