The first Aston Martin car developed under the leadership of legendary designer Adrian Newey has finally emerged during pre-season testing.
The debut of the AMR26 was delayed for unknown reasons, but the team managed to send the car out in the final hour of running at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Lance Stroll completed only four slow laps before stopping on track. Aston Martin said the stop was “precautionary” and not linked to any major issue.
Despite the limited running, the car’s design quickly attracted attention. The AMR26 appeared in an all-black camouflage livery, hiding many details but still showing clear differences.
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From the images released by Aston Martin, the nose looks wider than most cars built under the new 2026 rules, with a shape that appears similar to a duck’s bill.
The side pods are extremely slim and deeply undercut. The front suspension mounting points are placed very high on the chassis, while the engine cover is sharply cut away.
The test is being held behind closed doors, with no independent media allowed. Only a few official images have been shared so far.
The car arrived in Spain just a day earlier, and the team spent most of Thursday preparing it for the track.
Lance Stroll said the entire team worked non-stop to get the car ready. He added that the few laps completed felt positive, but the team still needs time to understand the car’s strengths and weaknesses. Fernando Alonso is scheduled to drive the car on Friday, the final day of this week’s testing.
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Adrian Newey’s designs have won 14 drivers’ championships and 12 constructors’ titles since 1991 with Williams, McLaren, and Red Bull.
Newey joined Aston Martin last year and has been focused on the 2026 car, as Formula One introduces major regulation changes to chassis, engines, tyres, and fuels.
Aston Martin is now Honda’s factory team, reuniting Newey with an engine partner he worked closely with during his time at Red Bull.
