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The Aston Martin Formula 1 team confirmed a 16-part upgrade for this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, which chief trackside engineer Mike Krack referred to as “a significant aerodynamic upgrade and a weight reduction.”
This marks a significant moment for the struggling team, as the results of this “B Car” will play an important role in the second half of the season, when the overhauled Honda engine arrives in Zandvoort, right after the summer break.
The AMR26 upgrades that already debuted in today’s FP1 session are the following:
- Redesigned rear wing with new winglets added to the top flap
- Revised rear wing end plates
- Redesigned engine cover
- New cooling louvers to the lower (separate) portion of the engine cover
- Revised twist distribution of the beam wing
- Redesigned diffuser
- New inlets, exits, and vanes at rear corners
- Revised leg positions and fairings of the rear suspension
- Modified floor design ahead of the rear tires
- Updated front floor fences
- Revised lip and deflector at front corners
- Revised sidepod air inlets
- New front end plates with revised body, diveplane and foot
- New longer, thinner nose
- New front wing
The graphics in the FIA Instagram post above show more detail of the above improvements.
“It’s very early days in terms of understanding it,” Newey said during a press conference about the package. “The provisional results are promising.
“It’s only part of the package. We’ll have some more steps in [Zandvoort], and then further steps in Monza and Baku. It’s the first part of our planned upgrade. We’re very short on parts, so we’re being careful and trying to learn all about it.”
As a whole, the upgrades are expected to improve airflow, increase load, and reduce drag. Aston did not share any performance targets or a numeric value for lap time improvements it expects from these upgrades, but it certainly hopes that its approach of dropping a massive upgrade all at once compared to trickling in new parts over several races pays off.
With Hungary being the final race ahead of the summer break, it’s make-or-break time for the Silverstone-based team, given its abysmal performance over the last couple of races. In Spa, both Aston cars were the slowest of the field, and it’s been a similar situation since the beginning of the European season. In Belgium, the Astons were roughly five seconds off the pole position.
If these upgrades deliver a positive tick in performance, then theoretically, things should get better in the second half of the season once Honda also delivers on the other end. Unfortunately, things aren’t looking well so far, as Lance Stroll had to retire from today’s first session with a broken rear suspension.
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As deputy editor, Jerry draws on a decade of industry experience and a lifelong passion for motorsports to guide The Drive’s short- and long-term coverage.
