P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Newey admits Aston Martin FOUR months behind rivals
Adrian Newey admitted that Aston Martin is currently four months behind their Formula 1 rivals in terms of developing their 2026 car. Aston Martin arrived late at the Barcelona shakedown, running only two days out of the three allotted on Thursday and Friday. Newey explained that the delay in the development process stemmed from challenges in getting the new wind tunnel at Silverstone up and running. While other teams started wind tunnel testing for their 2026 cars in January 2025, Aston Martin waited for their wind tunnel to be fully operational, which put them at a disadvantage. The team has faced a compressed research and design cycle, leading to a last-minute rush to get the car ready for the Barcelona shakedown. Despite the car being praised for its ‘aggressive’ design, its performance compared to rivals will only become clear as testing progresses.
