The highly anticipated debut of the Aston Martin AMR26, the first car designed under the guidance of renowned designer Adrian Newey, took place during pre-season testing at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Although the unveiling experienced a delay that the team has not publicly explained, Aston Martin was able to showcase the vehicle during the last hour of testing on Thursday.
Driver Lance Stroll completed four laps before the car stopped on track, a move that Aston Martin described as “precautionary.” Despite the limited track time, the design of the AMR26 garnered significant attention. The car sported an all-black camouflage livery, differentiating its nose, side pods, and engine cover from the designs of other teams.
Though the test is being held in private, with no independent media allowed, the photographs shared by Aston Martin reveal a distinctive nose that appears wider than typical designs, resembling a duck’s bill. The side pods are notably slim with a deep undercut, and the front suspension mounting points are positioned high on the chassis, while the engine cover features a pronounced cutaway.
The car’s arrival in Spain was just a day prior to the test, leading to a busy day for team mechanics who worked diligently to get the AMR26 ready. Stroll remarked on the team’s efforts, stating, “It was a long day for all the mechanics and everyone in the team pushing flat out to get the car ready. We got a few laps in at the end of the day and it was feeling good. We have to learn the car and understand its strengths and weaknesses.”
Lead driver Fernando Alonso is expected to take the wheel on Friday, marking the fifth and final day of the testing period. Newey, who has a storied history in Formula 1 with 14 drivers’ championships and 12 constructors’ titles to his name, joined Aston Martin in March last year. Since then, he has been dedicated to the design of the new 2026 car.
With significant regulatory changes in Formula 1 this year—including updates to the chassis, engines, tyres, and fuels—Aston Martin has positioned itself as the factory team for Honda, a partnership that reinforces the team’s competitive edge moving forward. This combination of expertise and innovation is set to enhance Aston Martin’s performance in the upcoming season, promising exciting developments for F1 fans.