P1racenews AI automatic summary:
EXCLUSIVE: Naomi Schiff ‘rings alarm bells’ over damning Aston Martin claims
“F1 analyst and former driver Naomi Schiff has raised concerns about Lance Stroll’s recent comments on the performance of Adrian Newey’s AMR26 car, indicating potential troubles ahead for Aston Martin. Schiff, who transitioned from a pundit to a lead analyst with Sky Sports F1, also co-hosts a new F1 podcast with Jolie Sharpe, focusing on engaging both new and existing fans as the sport enters a new era in 2026. Despite the controversial rule changes dividing opinions among drivers like Verstappen and Hamilton, Schiff believes the discussions could be beneficial for F1 by generating headlines and excitement. However, with less than a month left until the season opener in Melbourne, Schiff is particularly concerned about Aston Martin’s prospects after a challenging pre-season testing period. Following the team’s delayed arrival and struggles with the AMR26 in testing, both Schiff and Sharpe assert it’s premature to predict the hierarchy of teams, with in-fighting and sandbagging prevalent among competitors. Schiff concludes that Aston Martin appears to be lagging behind based on their performance in pre-season testing, highlighting the team’s difficulties with Newey’s design and the new Honda power unit. Stroll’s comments about the car being significantly off the pace underscore the challenges Aston Martin faces heading into the 2026 season.”
