Bottas and Norris jokingly tip Aston Martin for shock 2026 title fight

Valtteri Bottas and Lando Norris have jokingly tipped Aston Martin for the championship titles, but is it a reflection of just how unpredictable Formula 1’s new era could be?

Aston Martin begins Formula 1’s new technical era on the back foot, with the Silverstone team revealing neither Fernando Alonso nor Lance Stroll is likely to see the chequered flag in Melbourne.

Valtteri Bottas and Lando Norris joke Aston Martin could fight for 2026 titles

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Aston Martin’s pre-season was hampered by vibrations from its Honda power unit that affected the car and the drivers.

Although Honda was able to “significantly reduce” the vibrations in the two weeks since testing concluded, it is still a huge issue for Aston Martin.

Team principal Adrian Newey revealed: “Fernando is of the feeling that he can’t do more than 25 laps consecutively before he will risk permanent nerve damage to his hands. Lance is of the opinion that he can’t do more than 15 laps before that threshold.

“We are going to have to be very heavily restricted on how many laps we do in the race until we get on top of the source of the vibration and improve the vibration at source.”

Despite fears Aston Martin may struggle to reach the chequered flag, Bottas had joked the Aston Martin teammates will be up against pre-season favourite George Russell for the title.

It was, however, only partially said in jest given no one has any idea what could happen as this season progresses.

More on Aston Martin’s troubles

Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll face ‘permanent nerve damage’ risk at Australian Grand Prix

Alonso reveals Aston Martin vibrations leave hands ‘numb’ after 25 minutes

“This is so hard to say as we haven’t done a single race, we’ve only done testing,” he told PlanetF1.com and other media in Melbourne when asked for his top three.

“Every team is bringing probably different parts to race one. So it’s like impossible to say.

“But if I have to get something now, gonna say Lance Stroll, Fernando, Alonso and George Russell, because I think they were sandbagging so they’re going to beat Aston at the very end in Abu Dhabi.”

Bottas wasn’t the only driver to tip Aston Martin as a surprise title rival.

Reigning world champion Norris was asked who would be his rival for the title aside from Russell, and also poked fun at Aston Martin.

“Probably Aston,” he said as the room laughed. “Maybe Cadillac.

“Otherwise we just focus ourselves.”

But while Aston Martin is on the back foot arriving in Melbourne, this is a brand new era and anything could yet happen. No one knows the pace of the Aston Martin AMR26 given the team did minimal running during testing and had to deal with the vibration issue throughout.

Who is to say that once that is resolved, the AMR26 won’t be the car to beat…

Additional reporting by Mat Coch

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