Honda and Aston Martin reveal plans for their crucial upgrades

Aston Martin are preparing one of the biggest mid-season overhauls of the 2026 Formula 1 campaign, with the team set to introduce an extensive chassis and aerodynamic upgrade at the Hungarian Grand Prix before Honda follows up with a major power unit update one race later at Zandvoort.

The Silverstone-based outfit has endured a miserable first half of the season, slipping to the back of the field and, at times, even finding themselves behind newcomers Cadillac on outright pace.

While most rivals have steadily introduced upgrades throughout the year, Aston Martin deliberately chose a different strategy, sacrificing short-term competitiveness in favour of a single, comprehensive development package.

According to Technical Chief and Team Principal Adrian Newey, that decision has been painful, but one he believes is essential if Aston Martin is to become competitive again.

"It was a painful decision. While others have been adding performance, we've effectively been standing still in relative terms, so each weekend can feel more painful than the last.

"But we believe it's the right decision – the right investment for our future, if you like. Our partners – Aramco, Valvoline, Honda and others – understand that this is a necessary trying period that we, in truth, probably need to go through to come out stronger, with a decent step forward in the second half of this season and a much bigger one for next year."

Newey also disclosed that he has been dealing with health issues over the past year, admitting he was unable to operate at full capacity for much of last season. Despite that, he praised Aston Martin's engineering group for keeping the project on track.

"I'm OK now, but it's been a difficult period. As I said earlier, it never rains but it pours. In truth, I was not 100 per cent last year. I had to balance health and work much more carefully.

"The team handled it incredibly well. I kept a very good relationship with the engineers and I don't feel it caused too much of a blip. That's a testament to how adaptable and supportive everyone here is."

The team's long-awaited upgrade package is scheduled to make its debut at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with both cars receiving the new specification immediately.

"We plan to introduce our upgrade in Hungary on both cars."

Although the AMR26 will retain its basic chassis and gearbox architecture, Newey explained that the changes underneath the bodywork are extensive.

The package includes significant weight reduction, revised rear suspension, a new nose assembly and a comprehensive aerodynamic redesign aimed at bringing the car much closer to Formula 1's minimum weight limit.

"The main structural elements remain the same – the chassis and gearbox architecture don't fundamentally change – but we've taken weight out of both, which required re-homologating and crash testing the forward chassis.

"The front suspension is unchanged. The rear suspension is slightly revised. We've developed a new nose and substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces.

"So, while the core structure is similar, it's a big aerodynamic package coupled with significant weight reduction. The target is to get very close to the weight limit."

While simulation data suggests the update could represent a substantial leap forward, Newey was reluctant to predict exactly how much lap time Aston Martin expects to gain.

"We're predicting a large step, but I'm reluctant to put specific numbers out there. We'll have to see when the car gets on track."

The Hungarian Grand Prix will not be the end of Aston Martin's development push. One race later at Zandvoort, Honda is expected to introduce a significant engine upgrade, with the Japanese manufacturer focusing on improving both outright power and reliability.

Honda's general trackside manager Shintaro Orihara explained that development has centred on improving combustion efficiency and reducing internal friction.

"Our focus point is to improve engine performance. So we are working on combustion chamber shape. And also we modify the pre-chamber," Orihara is quotes as saying by The Race.

"And also we will change the combustion chamber shape to improve combustion performance. Also we are working to reduce friction by modifying the lubrication system. That is we are working on.

"Also to improve reliability because if we increase performance we need to increase reliability. So still we have a quite big list to complete. But we are working hard to achieve that to bring it to the Netherlands."

Although Honda has already seen encouraging figures on the dyno, Orihara also declined to reveal the expected power increase.

"How [big] the number from dyno, but I can't disclose the number. But we are aiming to get some reasonable big steps rather than bring a small step."

Taken together, the Hungarian chassis and aerodynamic package and Honda's new power unit for Zandvoort represent Aston Martin's biggest development push since the introduction of the current AMR26.

After months of deliberately sacrificing race-by-race development to focus resources on a single major upgrade, the team is hoping the combination of lower weight, improved aerodynamics and increased engine performance will finally lift it away from the back of the Formula 1 grid.

If the simulation tools are accurate, the second half of the season could mark the beginning of Aston Martin's recovery—and provide an early indication of whether Newey's long-term vision for the team is beginning to take shape.