Alonso calls first drive in Newey-designed Aston Martin 'very special'

Fernando Alonso described his first laps in the Adrian Newey-designed Aston Martin AMR30 as "very special" and "phenomenal," capping an intense 48-hour push by the team to get the car ready for its delayed Barcelona test debut. The two-day shakedown provided the first public glimpse of the highly anticipated machine and the new technical partnership's initial product.

Why it matters:

This test marks the tangible beginning of Aston Martin's ambitious new era under Adrian Newey's technical direction. After years of speculation about what Newey could create with a new project, the car's on-track appearance—and a driver of Alonso's caliber behind the wheel—provides the first real-world data point on whether this partnership can disrupt F1's established hierarchy starting in 2026.

The details:

• The team's pre-season program was compressed, with the car arriving in Barcelona and completing its first laps only on Thursday and Friday, missing the first three days of the scheduled test.
• Alonso highlighted the "tremendous effort" from the factory to prepare the car in time, calling the final two-week push "very, very intense."
• Beyond the car itself, Alonso noted the "super motivated" atmosphere within the team, now led by Newey in his new dual role as designer and Team Principal.
• The car represents the first joint project of the new core partnership between Aston Martin, Honda as power unit supplier, and title sponsor Aramco under the sweeping 2026 regulation changes.

What's next:

All attention now shifts to the season opener in Bahrain, where the true competitive pace and reliability of the Newey-Aston Martin package will be revealed under race conditions. The limited Barcelona running means the team faces a condensed timeline to analyze data, make final adjustments, and prepare for the first Grand Prix, setting the stage for a critical early evaluation of their winter progress.