Aston Martin have become the second Formula One team to miss vital pre-season testing in Barcelona, confirming they will not run their new car, the AMR26, before Thursday at the earliest. The team issued a statement saying: “The AMR26 will be in Barcelona later this week for its shakedown. Our intention is to run Thursday and Friday.”
The delay means Aston Martin will lose at least one of their three allotted test days at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where testing runs from Monday to Friday. Williams had already announced they would miss the entire opening test. The AMR26 is the first car designed for the team by Adrian Newey, who has also taken over as team principal.
While not a major setback, the delay raises concerns about the readiness of the car, which is powered by a new Honda engine. At the team’s engine launch in Tokyo last week, senior Honda figures expressed concerns that their power unit was not where it needed to be ahead of the season opener in Melbourne on 8 March.
Seven teams took to the track on Monday: Mercedes, Audi, Alpine, Cadillac, Racing Bulls, Haas and Red Bull. Ferrari are due to start on Tuesday, while McLaren have yet to confirm their debut. Under Lawrence Stroll’s ownership, Aston Martin have invested heavily in a new factory and wind tunnel at Silverstone, with high hopes that the new regulations and Newey’s expertise will propel them towards the front of the grid.
