Aston Martin finally showed genuine signs of progress at the Hungarian Grand Prix, bringing a significant package of upgrades after ten rounds without any.
The Silverstone-based team has endured a deeply difficult start to life under the 2026 regulations, regularly struggling to keep pace with even the slowest cars on the grid.
Owner Lawrence Stroll invested heavily in bringing Adrian Newey to the team, but the former Red Bull chief technical officer faced an enormous challenge designing a competitive car under the sweeping new rules.
From pre-season testing, it was clear the new Aston Martin chassis was not ready to compete, a problem compounded further by persistent difficulties with their new Honda power unit.
Heading into the Hungarian Grand Prix, the team confirmed a major chassis upgrade was incoming, with Newey spearheading the development push to turn the season around.
Aston Martin arrived at the Hungaroring with a remarkable 16 upgrades applied to the car, signalling a serious commitment to reversing their fortunes before the summer shutdown.
The improvements became clear on Saturday when Fernando Alonso broke through Q1 in qualifying for the first time this season, eventually lining up 16th on the grid for the 70-lap race.
Before the race got underway, Sky F1 presenter Martin Brundle handed the microphone to Stroll during his famous gridwalk, giving the team owner a moment to address his workforce and supporters.
Stroll used the opportunity to thank everyone at the Silverstone factory who had kept pushing through one of the most difficult periods in the team’s short history.
“Yeah, obviously we’ve made a very big step forward, one of many to come. So yes, very satisfied,” said Stroll.
“Thanks to all the hard work for all the boys and the girls at the factory to make it happen. It’s a good start,” he added.
The race itself delivered more encouragement, with Lance Stroll finishing 13th, his best result of the 2026 season, one position ahead of Alonso in 14th.
The momentum is expected to continue after the summer break, with Honda set to introduce a power unit upgrade at the Dutch Grand Prix that the team hope will prove transformative.
With upgrades now flowing and both drivers showing improved pace, Aston Martin’s second half of 2026 looks considerably more promising than the first.