Fernando Alonso expressed satisfaction with the latest evolution of his Aston Martin, describing the car as "much better" after the team introduced a substantial upgrade package during Friday's practice session for the Hungarian Grand Prix. The British driver highlighted that the car felt more planted to the tarmac and easier to manage, especially when navigating the grip limits in the corners. While acknowledging that the improvements were only a first step, Alonso remained optimistic about the direction the team is taking.
Aston Martin entered the current Formula One season with high expectations, viewing the new set of technical regulations that debuted at the start of the year as a chance to break into the sport's traditional "big four" and mount a genuine title challenge. However, the reality has been far less flattering. The partnership with Honda has been plagued by a power unit that has struggled to deliver competitive performance, and the chassis—designed under the guidance of legendary technical director Adrian Newey—has not lived up to the lofty standards set by the team's leadership. Throughout the season other teams have rolled out multiple incremental upgrades to address deficiencies, but Aston Martin chose to hold back until the eleventh round in Budapest, unveiling a comprehensive "mega‑package" comprising sixteen new components.
The decision to concentrate the upgrades into a single, large-scale package was a gamble, but the initial on‑track feedback suggests it may have paid off. The practice day was not without its setbacks. Lance Stroll suffered a failure of the left‑rear suspension on his car during the first practice session, which forced him to miss the second session entirely. Despite this, Alonso managed a relatively smooth run and emerged from the day with a positive assessment of the car's new behaviour.
"It was much better," Alonso said after completing 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 timing of the chassis upgrade is significant because it precedes an anticipated major power‑unit update from Honda, which is scheduled to arrive at the Dutch Grand Prix after the summer break.
Alonso emphasized the need for progress on both fronts, noting that the upcoming race at Zandvoort will be a crucial test of the new engine package. "We need to find more performance both on the chassis and on the engine. Zandvoort will be a good test for us with the new engine.
Step by step, but definitely in the direction," he explained. "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 qualifying position in the second practice session—19th on the timesheet—might appear modest, especially as he finished between the two 2026 newcomers from Cadillac. However, his lap time was compromised by a breach of track limits, and the session was further disrupted by a red‑flag caused by Alpine driver Franco Colapinto crashing. Alonso believes that, once the interruptions are removed, there is still untapped speed to be found.
"I think it was tricky with the red flag and some of the traffic to maximise the lap," he said. "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 and is widely regarded as the most decorated designer in Formula One history, outlined a realistic short‑term objective for the team: achieving "respectability" on the track. Speaking at a press conference between the two Friday sessions, he admitted that the opening races of the season had been "a complete nightmare" but expressed hope that the team could at least secure a point and start to rebuild its reputation.
"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 situation with Stroll's car added further drama.
The left‑rear suspension failure forced the British driver out of the second practice session because the team could not repair the car in time. Newey clarified that the broken component was not a brand‑new part; rather, it was an existing piece that became problematic due to the surrounding new parts and altered cladding. The unexpected nature of the failure highlighted the complexity of integrating a large number of fresh components at once.
"The area involved was actually not changed," Newey explained. "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 race weekend schedule includes a full programme of support series and the main Grand Prix, all of which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1 and streamed via NOW. Fans can follow the action from the F3 sprint to the Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying and the race itself, with additional analysis and commentary available throughout the weekend. In summary, while Aston Martin's season has been marked by disappointment, the recent upgrade package appears to have delivered a tangible improvement in the car's handling and predictability.
Alonso's measured optimism, combined with Newey's pragmatic target of earning respectability, suggests that the team is beginning to turn a corner. The upcoming Dutch Grand Prix, featuring the promised Honda engine upgrade, will be a critical test of whether the progress made in Budapest can be sustained and built upon. If the team can continue to translate its technical developments into on‑track performance, the long‑term goal of challenging the sport's elite may become a realistic ambition rather than a distant dream.