Aston Martin has unveiled its heavily anticipated B-spec upgrade package at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with the FIA releasing the team's car presentation submissions for the Hungaroring on Friday morning.
The comprehensive overhaul comprises 16 new parts, headlined by a redesigned sidepod, floor, and rear wing. Further modifications extend to the bargeboard area, sidepod profile, front wing, nose, front corner, rear assembly, suspension, rear corner, and diffuser — effectively creating an entirely new car.
The Silverstone-based squad worked through the night to prepare both AMR26B chassis, using its first F1 curfew exemption of the 2026 season. The drastic step underscores the gravity of Aston Martin's predicament after a torrid campaign that has left the team anchored at the back of the constructors' standings.
Despite the scale of the changes, the team has moved to temper expectations. Trackside boss Mike Krack pushed back against the "make-or-break" narrative surrounding the upgrade, while Fernando Alonso delivered a characteristically blunt assessment.
"There is no package in the world that will give you that amount of time," the two-time world champion said, referencing the 2.1-second gap to pole position Aston Martin faced at Spa-Francorchamps last weekend. "Probably the position will not change if you run the updated car in Spa one week ago."
Alonso stressed that Budapest's tight, twisty layout should suit the revised car better than power-sensitive circuits, offering a more realistic benchmark for the upgrade's true potential. "Hopefully Budapest is a friendly circuit for us," he added. "Power is not the most important point here. We will update the car, but not the engine yet."
The Spaniard framed the weekend as a crucial learning opportunity rather than a fix-all. "I'm more into, we can understand what is the direction of the car, if we are on the good path, and if we unlock, finally, the performance."
Aston Martin languishes at the bottom of the constructors' championship, and the B-spec represents the first major step of what the team acknowledges must be a sustained recovery. With Adrian Newey now onboard in an advisory capacity, the squad is betting that a clear development direction — even if the results take time — can arrest its slide.
Sources
- https://www.crash.net/f1/news/1101573/1/aston-martins-full-16-part-upgraded-f1-car-revealed-hungarian-gp
