Jul.7 (GMM) Aston Martin says its development program for 2026 may continue beyond the major upgrades already planned for the second half of the season.
Adrian Newey said at Silverstone that the struggling team hopes a major car update in Hungary, followed by Honda’s revised power unit at Zandvoort, will at least put Aston Martin back in contention for Q2 appearances and points.
“I hope we’re at least in a position to score points,” Newey said.
“I’m not saying we’ll get into the top 10, but if we at least make it to Q2, we’ll see from there.”
Chief trackside officer Mike Krack, however, urged caution.
“I think that question was already asked on Thursday and the answer is simple – we don’t know,” he said.
“What the simulations say is one thing, and reality on the track is quite another.
“We’ll put the car on the track and see where we stand.”
Krack confirmed Aston Martin’s long-awaited biggest upgrade package of the season will arrive in Hungary, followed by Honda’s engine developments at Zandvoort.
“After that, we’ll see what else is possible,” he said.
“There’s a lot of debate about the budget cap, so we’ll have to assess what we can afford.
“But I’m pretty sure the development isn’t over.”
Amid paddock chatter about Ferrari’s program in particular, Krack said every team’s upgrade strategy is dictated by long-term planning rather than reacting to individual race weekends.
“If you introduce an upgrade every week, you have to plan it well in advance,” he explained.
“You can’t just say, ‘I had a poor performance in Austria, and I’m going to have an upgrade next week.’
“Each team has its own plan and works within its own limitations.”
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