Aston Martin’s first proper taste of the 2026 Formula 1 era came with a surprise — not just on track, but visually too. The team’s new AMR26 rolled out at the Barcelona shakedown in a completely black, unpainted look, and now Adrian Newey has confirmed why: there simply wasn’t time to paint it.
With major regulation changes hitting both chassis and power units for 2026, Aston Martin arrived late to the behind-closed-doors Barcelona shakedown and only managed two of its permitted three days. The rush to get the car ready meant cosmetics were the last priority.
“The car we ran briefly at Barcelona… it was all black, partially in truth because we didn’t have time to paint it,” Newey admitted.
A rushed debut — but an emotional milestone
The AMR26 initially struggled, with Lance Stroll completing just five laps on the opening day before the car stopped with technical issues. However, the final day proved far more productive, as Fernando Alonso logged 61 laps — giving the team its first meaningful data of the new car.
Despite the setbacks, Newey described the moment the car first exited the garage as deeply emotional.
Standing alongside team owner Lawrence Stroll, Newey said the pair were “quite close to having a tear in our eyes,” underlining how significant this project is for Aston Martin as it enters a new era.
Newey, Honda, and a full works reset
The AMR26 is more than just another new chassis. It’s Aston Martin’s first Newey-led car, its first fully in-house gearbox, and its first works-team project with Honda power**.
Newey believes sweeping rule changes like those for 2026 offer a rare opportunity to leap forward — if teams interpret them correctly.
“Whenever there’s a big regulation change, there’s always huge opportunities. It’s who spots what and which solution turns out to be the right one.”
With the car now painted in Aston Martin’s iconic British Racing Green, the focus shifts to Bahrain testing, where the team hopes to make up for lost time and better understand its true performance level.
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