Aston Martin Confirms Late Barcelona Start for AMR26 Shakedown

Aston Martin has officially confirmed it will skip the opening day of pre-season testing in Barcelona, opting instead to debut the Adrian Newey-designed AMR26 later in the week for a shakedown.

Why it matters:

With the highly anticipated first car designed by Adrian Newey set to hit the track, maximizing track time is crucial. While a delayed start limits data collection compared to immediate runners, the team appears to be prioritizing technical readiness over rushing an unprepared package to the circuit.

The details:

• Schedule Change: The Silverstone-based squad will not run on Monday. A spokesperson confirmed the AMR26 will appear in Barcelona on Thursday and Friday for its initial shakedown.
• Rumors vs. Reality: Recent speculation suggested the chassis was overweight or had failed crash tests. However, reports indicate the car has passed relevant FIA safety tests, though some final component homologations may still be pending.
• Grid Context: Aston Martin joins Ferrari and McLaren in sitting out Day 1. Meanwhile, Williams has withdrawn from the entire Barcelona test due to car build delays.

What's next:

The focus shifts to the shakedown later this week. If the AMR26 runs reliably without issues during this short window, it will validate the team's decision to delay. All eyes will be on the performance data gathered during the two-day run to see if the Newey project is immediately competitive.