Aston Martin to unveil final upgrade for AMR26 car at Baku Grand Prix

The Aston Martin team will stop upgrading the AMR26 car after the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, focusing all resources on developing the machine for the 2027 season, with the final update for the current car aimed at reducing its weight, Report informs, citing Spanish publication Car and Driver.

The stage on the Baku street circuit will be the last for which Aston Martin prepares new components for the AMR26.

After this, the team will use practically the final version of the car until the end of the season.

The first half of the 2026 season proved difficult for Aston Martin. The team faced performance issues and came to the conclusion that the regular introduction of small updates would not eliminate the fundamental flaws of the car.

Usually, Formula 1 teams constantly refine their cars, sequentially updating the floor, wings, sidepods, and other elements. This approach forces engineers and designers to design, manufacture, and bring new parts to the track every few weeks.

Aston Martin chose a different strategy: the team paused this process, thoroughly analyzed the issues, and over several months developed a large-scale update package. It was introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix and essentially turned the AMR26 into a "B" version.

This decision gave aerodynamicists, designers, and engineers more time to study various concepts and search for solutions requiring prolonged development. Aston Martin decided to sacrifice part of the 2026 season to create a stronger foundation for the 2027 car.

The large-scale update did not allow Aston Martin to join the leaders of the championship. The progress was noticeable, but it was not enough for the car to regularly reach Q2 or Q3 in qualifying.

The updated AMR26 managed to overcome Q1 only once - thanks to Fernando Alonso. At the same time, the car improved more in race pace than over a single flying lap. Alonso managed to score points, and the car began working better with tires.

Before completely halting the development of the AMR26, the team intends to complete the car weight reduction program. The work is planned to be finished by the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.

In parallel, Aston Martin continues to cooperate with Honda to eliminate the issues that arose at the beginning of the season and approach the first Grand Prix of 2027 with a more competitive power unit.