The Race F1 Podcast Newey’s Aston Martin catches the eye - but who was the real winner of F1's shakedown test?
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Jan 30, 2026 A look at Adrian Newey’s striking Aston Martin debut and whether its looks match potential. Debate over who truly led the Barcelona shakedown, with Mercedes’ mileage and Ferrari’s fastest time both in the frame. Engine reliability and mileage differences get heavy focus, including Red Bull Powertrains, Audi and Cadillac catch-up stories. Midfield progress from Alpine, Haas and Williams is also discussed.
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Radical Design, Unknown Performance
- Adrian Newey's Aston Martin AMR26 looks radically different and could lead the field if its novel elements work in practice.
- The car ran only four laps in Barcelona, so its real pace and reliability remain unknown.
Uncaged Newey Brings Big Rewards And Risks
- Newey's full creative control at Aston Martin allows uncompromising, highly ambitious solutions across aero and suspension.
- That freedom risks late decisions, weight issues and tricky integration that could delay peak performance.
Late Package Likely Far From Peak
- The AMR26 likely arrived late and overweight, reflecting Honda power unit immaturity and compressed development timelines.
- That makes the car probably further from its potential than rivals, needing significant optimisation before Bahrain.