Coulthard Claims Aston Martin Has Hit “Rock Bottom” as Recovery Gains Momentum

Ex-F1 driver David Coulthard asserts that Aston Martin has bottomed out and is now initiating its gradual recovery.

Ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, the 13-time grand prix winner spoke on the Up To Speed podcast, drawing parallels to McLaren’s previous downturn before the Woking team rebounded to secure consecutive constructors’ championships in 2024 and 2025.

The Silverstone-based squad has faced a challenging 2026 campaign, currently sitting tenth in the constructors’ standings with just three points, all secured by two-time champion Fernando Alonso. The team entered 2026 with high expectations stemming from its new Honda power unit partnership and its first car developed under Adrian Newey’s leadership.

However, the first half of the season was marred by significant vehicle and power unit issues, which were only addressed following the introduction of a B-spec car at the Hungarian Grand Prix and engine upgrades at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Despite a difficult start to the year, Coulthard remains confident that the Newey-led team is turning a corner.

“There is a shift in momentum. They have hit rock bottom,” Coulthard explained. “If we look at McLaren three seasons ago, they were essentially at their lowest point, yet they bounced back to become world champions.”

Lance Stroll, Aston Martin

Photo by: Eric Le Galliot

Former W Series driver and Sky Sports analyst Naomi Schiff, co-host of the Up To Speed podcast, added: “It is a process of evolution for them right now, isn’t it? It is all about learning. Zandvoort, the beginning of the weekend looked a bit like, ‘Oh, I guess we expected a little more from this,’ but it was a sprint weekend, making it tough to bring major upgrades, implement changes, and understand the package.”

“They did make progress, though some concerns remained. Obviously, both drivers reported struggling with downshifts and engine driveability. I am sure they took all that data home and made amendments that we will likely see reflected at Monza.”

“However, Fernando did an incredible job getting that car to P9 at the Dutch Grand Prix. There were six DNFs, but looking at the list of those who didn’t finish, obviously Max [Verstappen] is in there, who would have likely been ahead of him, but the rest you could debate on whether they would have been in that vicinity.”

“So you have to give them credit for that. I hope it continues moving forward for them, as it has been a rather bleak start.”

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