Adrian Newey will deliver his first major upgrade package for Aston Martin before the Formula 1 summer break, targeting significant weight reduction and aerodynamic improvements. The legendary designer confirmed the upgrade is scheduled for the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 24-26, but declined to estimate the performance gain.
Aston Martin's Struggles and Upgrade Delay
Aston Martin have been the slowest team on the grid this season, with their car significantly overweight and new engine supplier Honda experiencing performance and reliability issues. The team has been beaten for pace by newcomers Cadillac in recent races. The British Grand Prix, held at Silverstone where the team is based, is expected to be another difficult home race.
Newey admitted that a late start due to his arrival in March last year, combined with aggressive design choices, led to unexpected challenges. "On the chassis side, we're quite a long way overweight. Some of that comes from integrating the power unit and dealing with vibration issues we've had to work through with Honda, but we also didn't do as good a job as we should have on our side at saving weight," he told the Aston Martin F1 Team website.
Details of the Upgrade Package
The upgrade includes a new nose, substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces, and slight revisions to the rear suspension, while the front suspension remains unchanged. Newey explained: "The core structure is similar, but it's a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction. The target is to get very close to the weight limit."
Newey also acknowledged that designing in a rush led to weight and aerodynamic compromises. "When you design in a rush, weight is the first thing that suffers because you don't have the time to thoroughly optimise everything. Aerodynamically, we also took a bold direction – which was largely pushed by me – without the luxury of exploring multiple concepts in depth because time was against us. I wouldn't say the direction we've taken is fundamentally wrong, but it has thrown up challenges we didn't anticipate," he said.
Newey's Health Issues
The 67-year-old designer also revealed that his health had been a factor in the delayed development. He was hospitalised earlier this year due to illness but has since recovered. "I'm okay now, but it's been a difficult period. In truth, I was not 100 percent last year. I had to balance health and work much more carefully. The team handled it incredibly well," Newey said.
Performance Expectations and Alonso's Future
Aston Martin are currently more than three seconds off the benchmark pace, meaning even a substantial performance gain from the upgrade is likely only to lift them into the midfield. A Honda engine update expected later this summer could provide further improvement.
Newey was reluctant to put specific numbers on the expected performance gain, but he hopes the upgrade will be enough to convince Fernando Alonso to continue racing. The 45-year-old Spaniard has yet to decide whether to stay in F1 after this season, though he has ruled out leaving Aston Martin for another team.
"Fernando is really looking forward to the upgrade and if it performs we hope he'll be in the cockpit for another season. Given his experience, his feel for the car, his ability to guide development, he's a tremendous asset. But he wants to see clear, tangible progress. If we can show that we're moving decisively in the right direction, he's absolutely committed to being behind the wheel," Newey said.
