Aston Martin believes they have a strong indication of how the team will perform when Formula 1 introduces sweeping regulation changes for 2026.
F1’s new regulations have taken the series by storm, potentially providing drastic changes to the existing pecking order.
Offering a somewhat equal playing field for all teams as they try to understand these unique changes.
Importantly, the all-new chassis and power unit rules invite teams such as the seventh-place Aston Martin to compete at the front of the field consistently.
Former Team Principal Mike Krack has explained that, whilst no official tests have commenced, Aston Martin’s own projections have left them cautiously optimistic on the 2026 season, allowing them to understand where some of their strengths and weaknesses lie.
“I think we have a good understanding in general,” the now-Chief Trackside Officer Krack said.
Ultimately, leaving the Silverstone-based team quietly confident about which tracks will suit them in the coming season.
However, the lack of tests so far underscores that the team are unaware of where they sit amongst their rivals.
“We know, for example, which circuits should be better suited to our car and which circuits may be less good for us, Krack explained.
“There are circuits where you will be strong, and circuits you will be less strong, and you have to manage to get the maximum out of it.
“You can see there is some cars in some circuits that are super quick, and then in others they are not.”
“This comes from the characteristic that you have developed your aerodynamic platform.”
Race-by-Race focus for Aston Martin in 2026
Aston Martin comes into the 2026 season with several major changes made to their squad. Whilst their driver line-up remains the same since 2022, the team has recruited several high-profile figures to help boost their 2026 campaign. But none more important than former Red Bull chief Technical Officer Adrian Newey.
Newey not only brings an impressive resume. The Briton also has strong connections to Aston Martin’s new power unit supplier, Honda, from his time at Red Bull. This partnership has led many to believe that the British team could be an unlikely front-runner in the early stages of the regulation updates.
However, team members are not getting ahead of themselves. Rather, they are taking the process event by event. This is because Aston Martin’s past few seasons have seen them struggle, particularly in the opening rounds. Then they finish the year stronger, having built on their mistakes.
Thus, Krack emphasised that Aston Martin’s approach to the season will be to optimise weekends, which may not suit their car. By doing this, he believes it will allow them to be more consistent, and potentially challenge come season’s end.
“It is important that in circuits where you are maybe a bit less performing, that you still get the maximum out of it,” Krack said.
“And because the gaps are so small, and we must not forget, when we say a bit worse or a bit better, it is a lot of positions; it’s not a lot of lap time.”
“If you are in the middle of the midfield, or at the back of the midfield or the front of the midfield, it changes completely your race or your weekend, and this is something you need to be aware of.
The first official 2026 F1 test takes place in three weeks in Barcelona. From here, all eleven teams, including Aston Martin, will be able to gauge where they sit amongst their rivals. However, it won’t be until the season opener in Melbourne when fans and even teams feel confident predicting the new pecking order.
Despite this, Mike Krack has played coy on whether he is confident about how the 2026 season will unfold for Aston Martin.
“To come back to the question, I think we have a reasonable understanding of where we’re going to be better and where we’re going to be, but I will not share it with you.”
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