Fernando Alonso declared that his 16th‑place start in Budapest halted Aston Martin’s five‑round streak of back‑row qualifying positions, casting a new rhythm on the team’s season.
Aston Martin’s Shake‑Up at the Hungarian GP
The Hungarian Grand Prix’s second‑round qualifying was the first time Saturday’s AMR26 was fitted with the incremental chassis upgrade announced at round 11, shifting its packaging dramatically.
Alonso noted the bespoke package “changed a lot” the team’s momentum, with the cars showing a ~2‑second improvement over the previous five Fridays.
“It was important,” the 44‑year‑old said, stressing that the upgrade had taken the mystery out of the cars, allowing the crew to target specific goals for the next package and for 2027.
Alonso’s Take on Performance Momentum
Alonso explained that the new package delivered “more load and overall grip”, making the car feel “a little bit more forgiving”, compared to the trim‑heavy and unpredictable behaviour of the previous model.
He praised the clean weekend achieved this time, finishing ahead of Haas, Williams and the new Cadillac in at least one tenth of a second in each session.
The driver said the correlation between expectation and reality was crucial: “When you bring a new car, you always believe that it is important to have the correlation right and you deliver what you expect to deliver.”
Engine and Grip Gains A Clear Path Forward
The improved grip has reportedly reduced position volatility, with the team able to set the line for the next event without speculation, an issue that plagued the back‑row start era.
Alonso said “the deficit in performance in the first half of the year is reduced by this package”, and that the team no longer “chases something that we don’t know.”
With an engine update slated for Zandvoort, the current focus is on maintaining the newfound reliability while locking in more power.
Stroll’s Perspective and Persistent Power Issues
Lance Stroll missed the first and second practice sessions after a rear‑suspension failure, ultimately qualifying 20th but still ahead of the small Cadillacs.
He stated that while the grip has improved, “we’re missing a lot on engine”, and highlighted a 10 km/h tailwind that forced the car out of the gravel on Turn 12, preventing a potential Q2 spot.
Stroll reflected on the performance gap, remarking that the car’s handling had become “easier to drive”, though the power shortfall remained a pressing obstacle.
Future Outlook for the AMR26
The chassis upgrade has set a clearer developmental trajectory for the AMR26, with the team now focused on extracting additional horsepower before the next miss‑aligned Thursday in the Netherlands.
Alonso’s observation that the new package changed the team’s momentum will likely influence the Thunder’s composition of the 2027 build and the next season’s front‑row targets.
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