Aston Martin AMR26 Debuts at Barcelona

The Aston Martin AMR26 has made its first track appearance on day four of Barcelona shakedown, completing just four laps before stopping on circuit.

Lance Stroll piloted the Adrian Newey-designed car for its brief debut. The team has not explained the delay that prevented participation in the first three days of testing at the Circuit de Catalunya.

Running in an all-black camouflage livery, the AMR26 showed distinct design features including a unique nose shape and sidepod configuration. The car stopped on track with what the team described as a "precautionary" issue.

This marks Aston Martin's first car using Honda power units after switching from Mercedes. Newey joined from Red Bull last season and has overseen the team's 2026 development program.

Fernando Alonso is scheduled to drive on Friday, the final day of the shakedown. The full livery reveal is expected before official pre-season testing begins in Bahrain.

The late debut raises questions about preparation time. Aston Martin finished fifth in the 2025 constructors' championship and has targeted regular podium finishes under the new regulations.

Why this debut matters

The first on-track running gives the paddock a glimpse at how Aston Martin has interpreted the 2026 regulations. Even a short shakedown can reveal packaging priorities, cooling philosophy, and how aggressively the team has pursued performance with the new Honda partnership.

More importantly, the late appearance compresses the program before the official Bahrain test. With only limited mileage in Barcelona, the engineering team will need to validate reliability and basic correlation quickly to ensure the AMR26 arrives in Bahrain ready for longer runs.

What to watch next

Look for longer stints and more consistent lap sequences during the Bahrain test. If the AMR26 shows stable long-run pace and avoids further precautionary stoppages, it will ease concerns about development time and reliability. The first full livery reveal should also confirm whether the black camouflage elements hint at any permanent aero details.

Sources

• Formula 1 - Aston Martin team profile

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