The preseason for Aston Martin is going very well and the team is full of optimism. This is the view of several British media outlets, which emphasize the evolution of the AMR25 and the good performance shown by Fernando Alonso in the Bahrain tests. For his part, Sky Sports journalist Ted Kravitz says the team is satisfied with both the performance of the car and the improvements that have been made to the new car.
“Aston Martin has a good car again,” says Kravitz. The Briton stresses that they have taken a step forward with respect to 2024, although they could still be a step behind McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.
However, the AMR25 has shown a solid and competitive base, which allows Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll to aspire to fight with the top teams. In addition, Aston Martin believes that they still have room for improvement and that they could get more out of the car in the first races of the World Championship.
A renewed and competitive car
The secret of this progress is found in the aerodynamics. According to Sky Sports, the team has rebuilt up to 90% of the car they used last year. The new spoiler is a key element of this evolution and one that has also generated noise in the paddock.
“It has a good front end, something it didn’t have last year. They have tried some new elements on the front spoiler and the nose and they are happy,” says Kravitz.
These improvements have allowed the AMR25 to perform better when cornering compared to last year when they suffered a lot. Also, based on the telemetry that has been leaked online, it is believed that Aston Martin has not yet shown its full potential, as it is saving tenths of a second, tenths of a second that could make it more competitive when the moment of truth arrives.
Fernando Alonso has been cautious in his statements, but his body language in the pit and the same sensations that can be perceived when he gets out of the car do indicate that the Asturian driver is satisfied. And the fact is that despite the rain that complicated things on Thursday, the Asturian completed 45 laps, maintained a good pace and remained solid during the long stints; always a good sign in preseason.
Aston Martin, looking to the future with Adrian Newey
Aston Martin’s optimism does not come only from the transition to the AMR25, but also from the structural changes that are taking place in the team. The arrival of Adrian Newey is one of the aspects that is generating the most excitement in the squad, and the new boss, Andy Cowell, has made it clear that his work will be decisive for the future, for the next few seasons. “Everyone is very excited to be working with Adrian. His track record speaks for itself. So we can’t wait to welcome him and integrate him into the team. We will get to work to create a car for 2026 and contribute to the improvements for 2025,” Cowell said.
Aston Martin’s plans are clear: it wants to move forward to try to close the gap on the teams that are making the difference. And it may be that, with a car that is considered more competitive than last year’s, and the arrival of a design genius like Newey, the British team will decide that it is on the right track. Now we need to see if the good omens prevail when the World Championship starts in Australia in two weeks’ time. What is clear is that the British press is already warning: Aston Martin is back in the fight.