Aston Martin have unveiled their upgraded Formula 1 car ahead of this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. The new version of the AMR26, designed by Adrian Newey, is expected to make the team more competitive after recent struggles.
The team has been the slowest on the grid, hampered by a weak and unreliable engine from new supplier Honda. Improvements to the engine are planned after the summer break, with Honda introducing better units for the Dutch Grand Prix in late August. However, the chassis upgrade has been deemed ready for Budapest, albeit with a shortage of spare parts.
The upgraded car was seen being built in the Aston Martin garage on Thursday, with photographers capturing images of the partially assembled vehicle. Visible changes include new-shaped air intakes on the sidepods, an updated front floor section, and added winglets on the rear wing.
Newey on Performance Gains
Adrian Newey hopes the weight reduction alone will bring a significant performance boost, though he declined to specify lap time improvements. He said: "The main structural elements remain the same – the chassis and gearbox architecture don't fundamentally change – but we've taken weight out of both. The front suspension is unchanged. The rear suspension is slightly revised. We've developed a new nose and substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces. So, while the core structure is similar, it's a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction. The target is to get very close to the weight limit. We're predicting a large step, but I'm reluctant to put specific numbers out there. We'll have to see when the car gets on track."
The full design will be shown in the pit lane on Friday morning ahead of the first practice session, with a detailed run-through of changes expected in the FIA upgrades document.
