Aston Martin Skips Miami Upgrades, Teases Major Newey Package for Later

Aston Martin chose not to bring any car upgrades to the Miami Grand Prix, a notable exception on a weekend where most teams introduced updates. Team ambassador and 2009 champion Jenson Button suggested that design chief Adrian Newey is working on a more substantial upgrade package for later in the season, arguing that a gain of just three or four tenths of a second is not currently valuable enough for the struggling team.

Why it matters:

This strategic patience highlights a calculated, long-term approach by Aston Martin under its new technical leadership. Instead of rushing incremental updates, the team appears focused on developing a more significant performance step to fundamentally improve its uncompetitive AMR26. This decision, while risky in the short term, could be crucial for maximizing their limited development resources and making a meaningful jump up the grid later this year.

The Details:

• The team's difficult start to the 2026 season has been plagued by vibration issues with the AMR26 chassis and Honda power unit combination, leaving the car towards the back of the grid.
• While rivals like Ferrari brought numerous updates to Miami, Aston Martin's official FIA upgrade document listed none for the chassis.
• Jenson Button explained the rationale, stating the team believes a smaller upgrade yielding three to four-tenths of a second per lap is insufficient to change their competitive position.
• Button hinted that Adrian Newey prefers to introduce a larger, more comprehensive upgrade package rather than smaller, piecemeal updates.
• The team has been conducting crucial correlation work, having kept an AMR26 at Honda's Sakura base in Japan for testing since the Japanese GP to better understand and address the vibration problems with the engine installed in the car.

What's Next:

All eyes will be on the European leg of the season to see when Aston Martin unleashes its promised major upgrade package.

• The success of this larger update will be the first real test of Adrian Newey's influence and the revamped technical team's direction.
• If the team can solve its fundamental vibration issues and successfully integrate a performance step, it could begin to climb from the back of the midfield. If not, the decision to skip early upgrades will be heavily scrutinized as the season progresses.