Aston Martin sees potential but admits 'lot of work' after first 2026 test

Aston Martin's first week of pre-season testing for the 2026 Formula 1 season revealed a significant performance gap and a race against time, with Team Principal Mike Krack acknowledging the car has "potential" but that the team is behind schedule. Driver Lance Stroll's assessment was stark, suggesting the car could be as much as four seconds off the pace of the front-runners after finishing near the bottom of the timesheets in Bahrain.

Why it matters:

The 2026 season represents a major reset for Aston Martin, integrating a new Honda power unit and the leadership of legendary designer Adrian Newey. A rocky start in testing underscores the immense challenge of synchronizing these high-profile changes. With the season opener looming, the team must rapidly debug its new package to avoid starting the new regulatory era on the back foot, a critical period for establishing competitive momentum.

The details:

• Performance Reality Check: Lance Stroll finished day three of testing in 15th place, ahead of only two other drivers, leading to his concerning estimate of a four-second deficit to the top teams.
• Leadership Perspective: Mike Krack was candid, stating the main lesson from the week was that "we have a lot of work to do" and that the team is not yet at the level of some competitors, despite believing in the package's underlying potential.
• Integration Challenges: Krack highlighted the core issue: integrating a new car, new technical package, and new partners like Honda has created a complex workload that has put the team on a delayed timeline, evidenced by the unpainted car running in testing.
• Development Priority: The initial shakedown in Barcelona and the Bahrain test were focused on basic functionality—"to get going"—and debugging numerous small issues, which has consumed time needed for performance analysis and development.

What's next:

Time is the team's greatest adversary. Krack warned that "there's not much time" before the next test, forcing the team to create a strict priority list to solve the most critical issues first. The immediate goal is to achieve a stable, reliable platform from which to properly analyze the car's weaknesses and improvement potential. The coming weeks will be a crucial test of Aston Martin's ability to accelerate its development curve and unlock the performance needed to be a credible contender in the new era of F1 regulations.