Aston Martin Endures Tough Spa Weekend Ahead of Crucial Hungarian Upgrade

Aston Martin is counting down the days to next week’s Hungarian Grand Prix, where it will finally unveil its much-anticipated B-spec Formula 1 car. But before the team can benefit from those aerodynamic improvements, it must firstNavigate the challenges of high-speed Spa-Francorchamps, a circuit that has exposed the AMR26’s shortcomings so far in 2026.

From the outset of the season, Aston Martin has lagged behind both its rival constructors and its Honda power unit. Rather than fielding incremental updates, the Silverstone outfit has chosen to withhold its main developments until they can deliver a meaningful performance leap. There was little value in deploying a package that would still leave the AMR26 as the slowest car on the grid.

Friday practice at the Hungaroring will provide the first real indication of whether the B-spec upgrade can shift the team’s trajectory—or at least secure a stronger foundation heading into 2027. However, before that performance boost can be realized, Aston Martin must endure what could prove to be its most difficult weekend of the year at Spa.

The Belgian circuit, known for its fast corners, long straights, and limited energy-recovery opportunities, has done little to mask the team’s current weaknesses. Both the car’s design and Honda’s power unit have struggled to compete, with little margin for error or strategic maneuvering.

Practice results underscored the gap. Lance Stroll’s best time of 1m51.131s was more than five seconds off pace-setter Kimi Antonelli, while Fernando Alonso was a further three-tenths back. The performance was positioned mid-pack—nowhere near the front, but comfortably above the F2 benchmark, highlighting just how far the car remains from competitiveness.

Trackside engineering director Mike Krack acknowledged that Spa’s challenges were anticipated. “I think it’s in line with expectation,” Krack said after Friday’s sessions. “We knew this track was going to be probably the hardest of all.”

“We need to be realistic. You know we’re quite far off. The positions you gain come from attrition, but there’s nothing to fight for in terms of result. I think it would be quite naive to think you can do something like that. For that, we’re too far off.”

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images

Despite the difficult circumstances, Krack emphasized that the team’s current efforts are building valuable groundwork for future success. “We did not get demotivated by that,” he said. “We need to do our homework and wait for the time when you have a quicker car.”

He added, “Our people have done a good job trying to optimise it as much as we can. It’s little steps that, when you have a quicker car, they’re more rewarding than now in terms of position—but as I said, you still have to be on it for the day we have a quicker car. We still have two cars. We try to do our best, try to execute well, and make the right decisions.”

Earlier in the weekend, Krack praised the resilience shown by Aston Martin’s staff and their engine partner Honda throughout a challenging season. “Credit to all the team, especially the trackside people, for how they have coped with it, including HRC,” he said. “We went through a tough time. We sat together and we spoke about this. Because everybody has good days, everybody has bad days. So, we need to help each other when these situations occur. I think from the people and human side, we handled this very well.”

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