Martin Brundle, the veteran analyst for Sky Sports F1, warned that the grim start to Aston Martin’s 2026 campaign is unlikely to be fully remedied any time soon. The team’s debut under the new set of regulations has turned into a nightmare, despite the high expectations that accompanied the recruitment of legendary designer Adrian Newey and the partnership with Honda as the official works engine supplier. While fellow newcomer Cadillac was always expected to languish at the back of the grid, Aston Martin has struggled even more dramatically. In the first three race weekends of the season the team has failed to score a single point.
The only instance in which either car has managed to complete the full race distance was at the Japanese Grand Prix, where Fernando Alonso crossed the line in 18th place. That finish, though technically a finish, was still far from the competitive standards the team hoped to achieve.
Qualifying at Suzuka saw both Aston Martin cars line up on the back row, a full four seconds off the pole‑setter’s pace. After the race, Lance Stroll tried to inject some humour, remarking that he and his Spanish teammate were essentially competing in "our own Aston Martin championship." The comment underscored the depth of the team’s current woes and highlighted the massive amount of work required to climb back up the order. "That’s painful, isn’t it?
It’s almost like salt in the wound," Brundle said on the latest episode of The F1 Show podcast. "It’s a nightmare from every angle – they lack both outright speed and reliability. In an era of relentless race calendars and strict cost caps, turning this ship around quickly will be extremely challenging. They need to decide what to tackle first." Brundle went on to explain that the solution will involve a comprehensive overhaul of the Honda power unit programme as well as a clear strategic direction from the top.
"They have to bring the right people into Honda, set a coherent development path, and accept that real progress won’t be visible until 2027. Right now it’s a horror show, and we’re forced to watch the pain unfold," he added. The performance gap is stark. Even when the cars do finish, they are typically five to six seconds per lap slower than the front‑running teams – a margin that translates into an entirely different competitive category.
"They’ll improve a little, but shedding three or four seconds per lap is a massive undertaking," Brundle noted. "It will take time, and we’ll have to keep an eye on the situation for a while." Both Aston Martin and Honda have publicly pledged to work tirelessly on the package. Immediate priorities include eliminating the engine vibrations that have caused reliability headaches and limited the drivers’ mileage in the early part of the season. The next opportunity to test these fixes will be the Miami Grand Prix, the season’s second sprint weekend, scheduled for the first weekend of May.
The AMR26 chassis, which Newey believes holds promise once further upgrade packages are applied, is still undergoing development. Honda, meanwhile, will benefit from the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) provisions that allow catch‑up upgrades for 2026 machinery. These regulatory allowances could provide the necessary performance boost, but they will not be a panacea. Co‑commentator David Croft echoed Brundle’s sentiments on the podcast.
He praised the fact that the team managed to finish the race in Japan, calling it "amazing for them," but stressed that this was merely a small step in a long‑term recovery plan. "The issues weren’t identified early enough, and the project lost focus on several fronts," Croft said.
He suggested that a B‑spec car might be ready for a debut at Spa rather than Silverstone, emphasizing that the power unit still requires extensive fine‑tuning. Croft was blunt about the prospects of scoring points in the near term: "I can’t see them earning a point unless a dozen other cars retire.
Finishing the race was a relief, but as chief trackside officer Mike Krack pointed out, it’s hardly a cause for celebration." In summary, Aston Martin’s 2026 season has unfolded as a cautionary tale of high expectations meeting harsh technical realities. The combination of a new chassis, a freshly partnered Honda power unit, and the steep learning curve of the new regulations has produced a perfect storm of speed deficits and reliability failures.
While the team’s leadership remains optimistic that the AMR26 will become competitive once upgrades are applied and the engine issues are resolved, the consensus among experts is that meaningful progress will likely be delayed until the 2027 season. Fans can follow the next chapter of this saga at the Miami Grand Prix from May 1‑3, where the team will attempt to showcase any early improvements.
The race will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and streamed via NOW without a contract, offering viewers a chance to see whether the horror show is beginning to transform into something more hopeful.