Stroll Backs In-House AMR26 with Honda Power Swap

Adrian Newey’s first Aston Martin design, the AMR26, completed a delayed on-track shakedown in Barcelona and immediately marked a clear technical departure for the team. Sky Sports F1 analyst Bernie Collins called the program a “mammoth undertaking,” noting Aston Martin’s move to an in-house gearbox and hydraulics and the switch to a Honda power unit—steps driven by significant investment from Lawrence Stroll that separate the car from the Mercedes-based drivetrains used previously. The late rollout limited track time, with only Fernando Alonso managing a full day of testing, leaving many performance questions unanswered ahead of the season opener.

Technically, the AMR26 emphasizes undersurface-focused aerodynamics and unusually tight packaging. Observers pointed to a chamfered nose, a tapered front wing, aggressive rake and a floor designed to generate the majority of downforce, plus numerous airflow vanes and a markedly larger airbox; PlanetF1’s Matt Somerfield highlighted the sidepod treatment and a cavernous gap beneath them that recalled past double-floor concepts. Newey described the car as a holistic package requiring close collaboration between aerodynamic and mechanical designers and said it contains “quite a few features that haven’t necessarily been done before.” He also warned the AMR26 will be “very different” at the start of the season. Rival reaction combined curiosity and caution: Williams principal James Vowles labeled Newey’s suspension choices “very extreme,” joking that wishbones were placed “in places that I don’t think they should be,” while Mercedes driver George Russell called it the most standout design on the grid but stressed that striking looks must translate into lap-time performance. With unconventional rear-suspension packaging that appears to favor aerodynamic downforce or lower drag over traditional mechanical cornering, the car’s true competitiveness will be judged in Melbourne when full weekend running provides a clearer measurement under race conditions.