Code Red or False Alarm? The Truth About Aston Martin’s 2026 Crisis
Bahrain testing has exposed a nightmare start for Aston Martin’s highly anticipated AMR26, with the team admitting they are « clearly behind » and Lance Stroll claiming a staggering 4.5-second deficit. Yet Fernando Alonso remains defiant: « Newey hasn’t forgotten everything in one year. »
The hype machine has ground to a halt in the Bahrain desert. Aston Martin’s AMR26—heralded as Adrian Newey’s masterpiece and the car that would propel the Silverstone squad into championship contention—has instead emerged as potentially the biggest disappointment of the 2026 pre-season.
The Brutal Reality
Following three days of troubled running at the Bahrain International Circuit, the verdict from within the team is unsparing. « We are clearly behind, » admitted team ambassador Pedro de la Rosa, echoing Lance Stroll’s damning assessment that the AMR26 is currently « four to four-and-a-half seconds » off the pace of the leading teams .
The statistics paint a grim picture. De la Rosa confirmed the team is losing « four, three or five seconds »—a chasm that cannot be explained away by sandbagging or fuel loads. « It’s clearly the overall package, » he conceded. « We cannot say it’s this or the other » .
A Perfect Storm of Setbacks
Aston Martin’s troubles trace back to a cascade of delays that began long before the AMR26 turned a wheel. Wind tunnel work started four months behind rivals due to Newey’s late arrival in March 2024 and the subsequent activation of the team’s new wind tunnel. The team missed the first three days of the Barcelona shakedown, sacrificing over 400 laps of crucial development running .
Bahrain brought no respite. Lance Stroll completed just 36 laps on day one due to a power unit failure, while mechanical issues robbed him of most of day three. Fernando Alonso fared better with 98 laps on day two, but set the second-slowest time of the session .
Chief trackside officer Mike Krack pulled no punches: « The main thing that we learned this week is that we have a lot of work to do… we had to learn this week that we are not at the level as others » .
The Honda Question
While Aston Martin shoulders much of the blame for chassis delays, Alonso has subtly shifted focus toward power unit partner Honda. The Japanese manufacturer missed approximately one year of development after initially planning to exit F1, only to return for the 2026 regulations .
« The power units, it’s a little bit more difficult because we don’t have the good understanding yet on the regulations, » Alonso noted. « But on the chassis side there is no question mark on that » .
Alonso’s Unwavering Faith
Despite the doom and gloom, the two-time world champion remains steadfast in his belief that Newey will deliver—eventually. « Melbourne’s car is going to be very different, » Alonso promised. « We have a guy [in Newey] that after 30-plus years in Formula 1 has been dominating the sport all of those, so eventually we will have the best car » .
De la Rosa reinforced this confidence, describing Newey’s leadership after a difficult test day as « inspiring » and « unquestionable. » The Spaniard noted that unlike previous years where « everyone could have their own theory about things, » Newey has provided singular clarity: « No one raises their hand to question him » .
The Road Ahead
The team has until March 1 to homologate power unit upgrades before a development freeze until the seventh race. De la Rosa warned this is « not an overnight fix » and « not a five-minute job, » but insists the resources and personnel are in place for a recovery .
For Alonso, at 44 and in what many suspect is his final F1 chapter, time is the one commodity in short supply. Yet his message remains consistent: trust the process, trust Newey, and accept that 2026 may be a season of two halves.
« It’s a matter of time, » Alonso repeated. The question is whether Aston Martin has enough of it.
Sources:
: Laurence Edmondson, « Fernando Alonso: Aston Martin will be fastest … Adrian Newey won’t ‘forget everything’, » ESPN, February 16, 2026. https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/47946942/fernando-alonso-aston-martin-f1-fastest-adrian-newey-forget-everything-2026
: « Aston Martin confirms it’s ‘not at the level’ of other teams after tough F1 test, » Autosport, February 16, 2026. https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/aston-martin-confirms-its-not-at-the-level-as-others-after-tough-f1-test/10797747/