Coulthard predicts Aston Martin will win F1 races within two years

David Coulthard has predicted Aston Martin will win grands prix within the next two years despite the team's miserable start to the 2026 season. The Silverstone squad has been held back by an uncompetitive chassis and Honda's underwhelming power unit, leaving it mired in the midfield even after a major upgrade in Hungary.

Why it matters:

Aston Martin's collapse from contender to backmarker risks burning through the patience of its star drivers and ownership unless the recovery proves swift. Coulthard spent years winning in Newey-designed cars, so his faith carries the weight of firsthand experience rather than idle optimism. The forecast underscores how brutally the 2026 regulations have reshaped the order, leaving little margin for teams that missed the mark.

The details:

• Coulthard estimated Aston Martin is losing roughly a second per lap to the Honda power unit alone, with the chassis contributing additional deficits that have left the team scrapping at the rear.
• The first major upgrade in Hungary delivered tangible gains but failed to lift the car clear of the midfield pack.
• Honda is scheduled to bring a power unit upgrade at next month's Dutch Grand Prix, offering a step toward closing the gap to the front.
• Newey has taken on the team principal role to steer the technical turnaround. Coulthard, who worked closely with him at Red Bull, believes his racing-first mentality is exactly what the project needs.

What's next:

• The immediate focus is maximizing the current upgrade pipeline while Honda hunts for performance, with the Dutch GP power unit step serving as a crucial benchmark.
• Coulthard's two-year window implies Aston Martin must produce a fundamentally different challenger for 2027, using the rest of this season to validate Newey's concepts.
• If the Honda upgrade delivers and Newey's chassis direction works, the team could climb the order faster than its current form suggests.