Fernando Alonso praised the noticeable improvement in his Aston Martin after the team introduced a comprehensive upgrade package during the Hungarian Grand Prix practice sessions on Friday. The Spanish driver described the car as feeling "much better," noting that it seemed more planted to the tarmac and easier to control through the corners. While he welcomed the progress, Alonso cautioned that the work is only the beginning and that the team still has a long journey ahead to become truly competitive.
Aston Martin entered the 2024 season with high expectations, hoping that the new set of technical regulations – which took effect at the start of the year – would provide a chance to break into the sport's traditional "big four" and fight for championships. Instead, the team has endured a difficult campaign marked by a severely under‑performing Honda power unit and a chassis that has not lived up to the lofty standards set by chief technical director Adrian Newey, the sport’s most decorated designer. Throughout the season, rival teams have rolled out multiple upgrade packages to close performance gaps.
Aston Martin, however, waited until the 11th round in Budapest to unveil a single, massive package consisting of sixteen new components. The timing was a gamble, but the results on Friday suggested the gamble paid off, at least partially. While Lance Stroll suffered a left‑rear suspension failure that forced him out of the second practice session, Alonso managed a relatively smooth run and emerged with a cautiously optimistic assessment. "It was much better," Alonso said after his laps.
"The car felt more glued to the ground and easier to drive, to an extent, when you are in control of the grip in the corners. A more predictable and easier car, but still a long way to go for us. Obviously, this is only the first step." The chassis upgrade arrives just ahead of Honda's anticipated delivery of a major power‑unit update at the Dutch Grand Prix following the summer break. Alonso highlighted the importance of gaining performance from both the chassis and the engine: "We need to find more performance both on the chassis but also on the engine.
Zandvoort will be a good test for us with the new engine. Step by step, but definitely in the direction.
It looks better, for sure, and it's more or less what we expected. This is the most encouraging thing, that what we thought the new package would do the car actually translated into reality on track. That kind of correlation is what we need also for next year's project, so I think there is a positive atmosphere in the team now." Alonso's 19th‑place time in the second practice session may have seemed modest, especially as he finished between the two 2026 newcomers from Cadillac. However, his lap time was compromised by a track‑limits violation that nullified a faster sector, and the session was further disrupted by a red‑flag caused by Alpine’s Franco Colapinto crashing.
These factors gave Alonso hope that the car could still produce better times on Saturday. "It was tricky with the red flag and some of the traffic to maximise the lap," he explained. "So, maybe there is a little bit more to come from our side, but maybe it's the same for everybody, so let's see tomorrow.
We concentrated on testing the new parts and trying to understand the setup direction, which maybe can be very different to what we've run at the last few events, so I think there is more potential to unlock hopefully tonight and into tomorrow's qualy." Newey, who joined Aston Martin from Red Bull in March 2025, reiterated that the immediate objective is to achieve "respectability" on the track. Speaking at a press conference between Friday's practice sessions, he admitted the opening races had been "a complete nightmare" but expressed optimism that the team could at least secure a point and regain some dignity. "Hopefully, we can get at least a point and respectability now.
I think that is the immediate goal. From there, we can try to keep moving forward," Newey said.
The day was not without its setbacks. Stroll's left‑rear suspension failure forced the team to abandon attempts to repair his car in time for the second practice, leaving him unable to take part.
Newey clarified that the broken component was not part of the new package; rather, it was an older part surrounded by newly introduced elements, which complicated the diagnosis. "The area involved was actually not changed," he noted. "We are short on spares because the cladding and so forth is different, so there are some minor changes in that area.
In that sense, it's very unexpected." Looking ahead, the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend continues with a packed schedule: Friday will host the final practice session, Saturday will feature qualifying, and Sunday will culminate in the race itself. Sky Sports F1 will broadcast every session live, and fans can stream the action via NOW without a long‑term contract.
In summary, while Aston Martin's performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix has not yet vaulted them into the front row of the grid, the substantial chassis upgrade appears to have delivered a tangible step forward. Alonso's comments reflect a blend of cautious optimism and realism, acknowledging that the car feels more stable and predictable but still falls short of the team's aspirations.
Newey’s focus on "respectability" underscores a pragmatic short‑term goal, with the broader aim of building a foundation for future competitiveness. The upcoming engine upgrade from Honda and the continued development of the chassis will be crucial in determining whether Aston Martin can translate this modest progress into consistent point‑scoring finishes and, ultimately, challenge the sport’s established powerhouses.