Aston Martin heads into the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid with something it has been desperately short of for much of 2026: confidence.
Trackside chief officer Mike Krack believes the Silverstone-based squad made a meaningful step forward at Monza, even though the results sheet offered little evidence of progress.
With this weekend’s inaugural event at Madrid’s new demanding Madring circuit, Aston Martin is nevertheless hopeful that underlying improvement can finally translate into performance.
The AMR26 remains very much a work in progress, with the team continuing to refine its package alongside Honda’s developing power unit.
Monza was always likely to expose its weaknesses, particularly given the circuit’s relentless emphasis on straight-line efficiency, but Krack insists the weekend still produced something valuable.
“Well, I’m happy with the step that has been taken in Monza,” he said. “And I said already before, your drivability is a big subject. It’s not only the engine, it’s not only the chassis, it’s really the combination of both.
“The downshift, the brakes, how is the tyre condition, what is the speed you have arrived, super clip, or whatever. So, there’s a lot of elements playing into this.
“But I’m really happy with the step we have taken together in Monza. Now, the performance was not great in Monza, that is clear. But for a track like this one here, it’s good to have that, because it gives confidence, and confidence is the only way where you can attack when the walls are so close. So, it’s a good step.”
Confidence meets a very different challenge
That final point could prove crucial in Madrid. Madring is an entirely different proposition to Monza, combining high-speed sections with technical demands and unforgiving proximity to the barriers.
Aston Martin therefore arrives believing that the improved interaction between its chassis and Honda power unit could be particularly useful around a circuit where driver confidence will be at a premium.
©Aston Martin
Krack also knows, however, that drivability is not a box the team can simply tick and forget.
“I think Orihara-san [Shintaro Orihara, his Honda counterpart] will agree with me, drivability is never good enough,” he explained.
“You always can improve, and we will continue working on that as we have done the whole season. But I’m confident, or I’m happy that we have taken that step.”
Hard evidence is required
There is certainly reason for cautious optimism. Fernando Alonso delivered Aston Martin’s best result of the season in Zandvoort, finishing ninth after reaching Q2 in Hungary, suggesting the team’s ongoing development work can occasionally bear fruit.
But Madrid will offer a much more revealing examination of the latest package.
Read also: Alonso preps for Madrid with a drive through Senna’s historyKrack may have the “confidence” he wants, and Monza may have provided the step Aston Martin needed. But Formula 1 is rarely sentimental about progress made in the background.
The proof, inevitably, will be in the pudding. If the AMR26 can convert that improved drivability into genuine pace at Madring, Aston Martin’s optimism will suddenly look justified.
If not, the team may discover that its latest step was merely another move along a much longer road.
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