Fernando Alonso raises key question over Aston Martin dream team

Fernando Alonso has questioned Aston Martin’s timeline for success as it ramps up preparations for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Aston Martin has been tipped as a dark horse for the coming campaign thanks to a raft of high-profile technical signings, the arrival of Honda power, and impressive new facilities.

Fernando Alonso declares ‘when, not if’ for Aston Martin success

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On paper, Aston Martin has all the ingredients to jump out of the gates in F1 2026.

Spearheaded by Adrian Newey, who arrived in March last year and has now become team principal, along with his role leading the technical team, much is expected of the AMR26.

The team also now boasts factory Honda power in place of customer Mercedes units, the programme all being run out of an impressive facility that boasts a state-of-the-art wind tunnel at its Silverstone base.

However, two-time world champion Fernando Alonso preaches caution.

While he concedes things look good on paper, he’s acutely aware that things in F1 are seldom that simple.

“Factory is completed. Wind Tunnel is brand new and completed, and we are using it,” Alonso began.

“We have Adrian Newey, Andy Cowell, Enrico Cardile. I mean, we have great people and great talent in the factory.

“We just need to put everything in place and to make sure that all those facilities and people, that are new facilities, are new people are just few months into the system.

“Will it be enough, these few months, or do we need one full season to glue everything together? That’s the thing I don’t know.

“But Aston Martin will succeed. I think it’s for me [a] guarantee. The biggest question is when.

“That’s what we all try, to make it as soon as possible.”

Aston Martin’s prospects have accelerated courtesy of new technical regulations set to be introduced this year.

All new chassis regulations are complemented by new power unit rules that will increase the use of electrical energy.

It creates something of a natural reset with all teams faced with the same blank piece of paper heading in.

That’s why, given Aston Martin’s talent list, facilities, and new Honda relationship, the squad is tipped to challenge.

But, with teams yet to turn a wheel, there remains no certainty. Even then, the pecking order at Round 1 is likely to be rather different from Round 24, as the field makes rapid early progress.

It’s an enticing prospect, one that helps Alonso put a difficult 2025 campaign behind him.

More on the all-new regulations for F1 2026

F1 2026 tech analysed: The future of overtaking and biggest car advantage identified

F1 2025 vs F1 2026: Nine key questions ahead of massive regulation changes

“It has been a very different season compared to the past,” he admitted.

“The 2026 regulations are a big change for everybody, and the 2025 was a season in the middle of nowhere.

“We couldn’t probably put the job into 2025 cars we wanted. And the previous car of 2024 was not maybe the best, or the second part of 2024 was not really competitive, and that was, unfortunately, the base for 2025.

“With 2026 being a lot of focus for everybody, we were struggling to find the path,” he added.

“It has been challenging for Aston, for sure, and we are not happy with the season, but it was a complicated scenario.”

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