Aston Martin F1 Unveils Major 16-Part Aero Upgrade for Upcoming Hungarian GP This Weekend
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The Aston Martin Formula 1 team has announced a 16-part upgrade for the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix, which chief trackside engineer Mike Krack described as "a major aerodynamic improvement and a reduction in weight."
This is a pivotal development for the struggling team, as the performance of this “B Car” will be crucial in the latter part of the season when the revamped Honda engine is introduced in Zandvoort, right after the summer break.
The upgrades for the AMR26 that were first showcased in today’s FP1 session include:
- A redesigned rear wing with new winglets added to the top flap
- Updated rear wing end plates
- A newly designed engine cover
- New cooling louvers on the lower (separate) part of the engine cover
- Adjusted twist distribution of the beam wing
- A reworked diffuser
- New inlets, exits, and vanes at the rear corners
- Revised leg positions and fairings for the rear suspension
- A modified floor design in front of the rear tires
- Updated front floor fences
- Changes to the lip and deflector at the front corners
- Revised sidepod air inlets
- New front end plates with updated bodywork, diveplane, and foot
- A new longer, thinner nose
- A new front wing
The graphics in the FIA Instagram post above provide more details about these enhancements.
“It’s still early days in terms of understanding it,” Newey said during a press conference regarding the package. “The initial results are encouraging.
“This is just part of the overall package. We plan to introduce more upgrades in Zandvoort and additional improvements in Monza and Baku. This is the first phase of our upgrade plan. We're currently low on parts, so we need to be cautious and learn as much as we can.”
Overall, the upgrades are anticipated to enhance airflow, boost downforce, and reduce drag. Aston has not specified any performance goals or lap time improvements expected from these upgrades, but it is hopeful that launching a significant upgrade all at once rather than introducing new parts gradually over several races will yield positive results.
As Hungary is the last race before the summer break, this is a critical moment for the Silverstone-based team, particularly after its poor performance in recent races. At Spa, both Aston cars recorded the slowest times in the field, and the situation has been similar since the start of the European season. In Belgium, the Astons were approximately five seconds off the pole position.
If these upgrades lead to a noticeable improvement in performance, the outlook should brighten for the second half of the season, especially once Honda also delivers on its end. Unfortunately, the signs have not been promising so far, as Lance Stroll had to withdraw from today’s first session due to a broken rear suspension.
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Aston Martin F1 Unveils Major 16-Part Aero Upgrade for Upcoming Hungarian GP This Weekend
Although the upgrades appear to be very promising on paper and in simulations, Lance Stroll's AMR26 had to withdraw from FP1 due to a suspension failure.