Aston Martin Upgrades Show Promise in Hungary Practice

In a weekend where every other team was in contention for points, Andy Cowell’s squad was not in the mix.

On paper, the high-speed characteristics of the Spa Francorchamps circuit were never going to suit the AMR25.

However, arguably a bigger contributor to Aston’s poor showing was their decision to bring a few updates to the thirteenth round of the season.

Specifically, Aston Martin opted to introduce their new front and rear wing specifications.

Heading into last weekend, the team were aware these components were not necessarily designed for a circuit like Spa.

Still, Aston’s objective was to collect as much data as possible and understand their new package.

At least initially, they appear to have progressed nicely in this regard.

Lance Stroll gave some encouraging feedback after yesterday’s running concluded:

“The timesheets looked positive today. The car felt good and I was happy with the car balance during both practice sessions.

“So a good start to the weekend, but it’s always hard to tell on a Friday where you stand compared to your competitors.”

Fernando Alonso was also positive about the AMR25’s balance, despite missing a session.

Notably, though, he believes there is more lap-time on the table.

“Obviously I missed FP1, but FP2 felt good in the car.

“The balance of the car isn’t quite in the window yet, and that’s something we need to work on overnight.

“We’ll review all of the data and we’ll see what we can do tomorrow.”

Optimising the AMR25’s final update package

For most of the season, circuit-specific details have been pivotal in the midfield battle.

Every team in the constructors, from Williams in 5th to Alpine in 10th, is a contender for points.

Nevertheless, it should be noted that some teams – like Williams and VCARB – have been far more consistent in 2025.

This is largely thanks to having more fundamental pace than rivals, meaning that the top 10 is achievable even in less than ideal circuit layouts.

Aston Martin were slowly putting themselves in this category, scoring points at every race between Canada and Silverstone.

Belgium was a setback in their trajectory, but there are already indications they are rebounding from last weekend.

Should their latest updates prove significant, it will put Aston in a strong position for the next eleven rounds. After all, with teams now focused on 2026, any improvements this weekend should be sustained until the season ends.

Speaking of next year, the British outfit can be cautiously optimistic that their 2026 development won’t be hurt by the correlation problems that have plagued them over the last eighteen months.