Aston Martin unveils 2026 F1 livery for Newey's first car

Aston Martin has revealed the livery for its 2026 Formula 1 challenger, the AMR26, marking the first car designed under Adrian Newey's leadership and the team's debut season as a full Honda-powered works outfit. The launch in Saudi Arabia concludes the pre-season car reveals, with the team now heading to Bahrain for critical testing after a delayed and shortened initial run in Barcelona.

Why it matters:

This launch represents a pivotal reset for Aston Martin, combining several foundational changes into a single season. It’s the tangible start of the team’s long-term vision, merging Newey’s technical direction, a new works power unit partnership with Honda, and the completion of its state-of-the-art Silverstone facilities. After significant investment from owner Lawrence Stroll without yet achieving a race win, 2026 is viewed internally as the true beginning of its championship ambition.

The Details:

• The livery features a refined green color scheme with a new matte satin finish, applied to a show car after the actual AMR26 ran in bare carbon fibre during its Barcelona shakedown.
• Team Principal Adrian Newey admitted the unpainted Barcelona run was "partially, in truth, because we didn't have time to paint" the car, highlighting the team's compressed timeline.
• The car’s testing program is already on the back foot, having only appeared late on the fourth day of a five-day Barcelona test, missing over a day of valuable running to understand the new chassis and Honda power unit integration.
• Lead driver Fernando Alonso emphasized the season's importance, calling it "the very first time we are a works team" and noting that the new factory, wind tunnel, Honda partnership, and regulations all converge in 2026.

What's next:

All focus shifts immediately to pre-season testing in Bahrain, where Aston Martin must recover the lost time from Barcelona. The team’s performance in these tests will offer the first real indication of whether its new technical structure and partnership can translate into a competitive package from the opening race. The AMR26 is not just another new car; it is the first major deliverable of the Stroll project's ultimate phase, setting the tone for Aston Martin's future as a frontline constructor.