Aston Martin’s F1 Upgrades: A Game Changer?
Aston Martin’s recent upgrade package for its Formula 1 car at the Hungarian Grand Prix has garnered significant attention, with rival teams noting a substantial performance improvement. The team introduced a comprehensive overhaul of its AMR26, featuring 16 updates to components such as the front wing, floor, diffuser, and rear suspension.
Fernando Alonso, a two-time world champion, advanced to Q2 for the first time this season following these changes. He described the qualifying session as feeling like a “different Qualifying,” allowing him to “fight a little bit more.” Alonso expressed that the “adrenaline” of competing for a better position, which had been absent in recent events, had returned.
Impact of the Upgrades
The performance gains have been described as “eye-opening” by competitors. Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas admitted to being “a bit scared” by the potential impact of Aston Martin’s upgrades, having heard rumours of a two-second improvement. After qualifying 21st, Bottas observed that the actual gain did not seem far off from the rumoured figure, placing him over seven tenths behind Alonso in Q1.
Another driver, Carlos Sainz, found himself half a second slower than Alonso’s Aston Martin. Despite expecting the Hungaroring to be Williams’s “worst track of the season,” Sainz was impressed by the margin Aston Martin had achieved. His teammate, Alex Albon, called the upgrade “eye-opening” and expressed that Williams would likely be unable to replicate such a significant step with their own upcoming major upgrade at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September.
Albon remarked, “I don’t know what kind of upgrade that Aston had, but I could only dream of that.” He suggested the net gain could be around “one and a half, two seconds.” Ollie Bearman of Haas was also affected, being knocked out of Q1 for the first time since Monaco, and described losing to the AMR26 as “really painful.”
Future Prospects and Challenges
Alonso indicated that there is still “more potential to unlock in the car” from the new package. He noted that the car felt “a little bit more forgiving” and easier to drive, with improved consistency. He believes the biggest change from the weekend is the team’s renewed sense of direction, knowing “exactly what we are looking for” in future developments.
Despite the positive initial results, some drivers, including Bearman and Bottas, cautioned that the Hungaroring might be particularly suited to Aston Martin’s car due to its shorter straights. Bottas suggested that on tracks with longer straights, Aston Martin “might be in trouble.”
Aston Martin has further plans for development, with another chassis upgrade scheduled for the first race after the summer break at Zandvoort. This will coincide with Honda’s sole engine upgrade. A subsequent chassis upgrade is also planned for Baku a month later.
Lance Stroll, Alonso’s teammate, was eliminated in Q1, finishing 20th and half a second behind Alonso. Stroll attributed some of his difficulties to missing track time on Friday due to a suspension failure in FP1 and highlighted a need for more engine power. He felt Q2 would have been possible without a tailwind at Turn 12. Alonso’s Q2 progression marks a significant development for the team.
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Source: formula1.com
