So, here is the reality of life inside Aston Martin right now: Adrian Newey admits that Honda is "a little bit behind" where he hoped they would be, even as a palpable buzz builds back at the Silverstone headquarters.
It has undeniably been a tough season for the outfit. A rare highlight came when Fernando Alonso charged to eighth place in the rain-affected Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, offering a much-needed boost. But the Singapore race that followed proved to be a poor weekend, falling well short of expectations despite hopes that the AMR26 would suit the track.
Repeating myself, they're a great company. I have every confidence that they will accelerate quickly, and understand the problems of these particular PU regulations.
Now, the team looks to Austin to play to the strengths of their package. A solid start saw Alonso and Lance Stroll claim P12 and P13 respectively in FP1. Speaking during the FIA press conference at COTA on Friday, Team Principal Adrian Newey insisted that positive signs are shining through the very public struggles.
“I think we're making huge amounts of progress,” Newey said. “It really feels now like the team is coming together. The spirit, team spirit within the engineering offices in particular, I think is very strong now. You see a lot of ideas being generated, a lot of people chatting with each other, working late in the evening. You can feel the buzz in the factory now.”
When Christian Horner suggested that the current situation at Aston Martin mirrors Red Bull when Newey arrived twenty years ago, Newey agreed. Both squads endured significant turmoil through their histories, marked by changing owners and senior managers. The core challenge remains breaking down silos, improving culture, and getting everyone pulling in the same direction.
Then there is the Honda side of the equation. Having won big together at Red Bull, Newey acknowledges the Japanese manufacturer's pedigree, yet concedes they are currently trailing where Red Bull picked them up as a works team in 2019—noting, however, that 2019 was four seasons after their 2015 return, whereas this is their first year back in.
“I would say at the moment, in all truth, Honda are a little bit behind where Red Bull, as the works team, picked up Honda in '19,” he explained. “Repeating myself, they're a great company. I have every confidence that they will accelerate quickly, and understand the problems of these particular PU regulations.”
While the exact performance shortfall remains guarded due to intellectual property protection, Newey points to publicly available data. The ADUO provides a power measurement, though he notes it is only part of the puzzle alongside other factors combining to make the overall installed PU performance, suggesting observers check the GPS for a clearer picture.
Asked whether Honda's 2026 progress has met expectations amid talk that on-track performance hasn't matched the dyno, Newey kept his cards close. He admitted Honda has probably been a little disappointed with their rate of progress this year, but emphasized that such a reality only strengthens their resolve for the future, backed by a determination, good people, and processes that point toward a promising path ahead.
