Aston Martin 2026 Car Launch: A timeless take on a new era
- Mia Wallace
- 4 hours ago
- 3 min read
Written by Mia Wallace, Edited by Meghana Sree
The Aston Martin Aramco Formula One team unveiled their 2026 challenger, the AMR26 this evening in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. At the conclusion of a star-studded night with long-term title partner Aramco, the team spoke about their intentions for the season ahead: innovation, competitiveness, and getting back into championship contention.
This livery reveal signifies a pivotal moment for the Silverstone-based team, as their 2026 challenger symbolises not only Team Principal Adrian Newey’s philosophy for the season, but also how the team plans to respond to one of the biggest regulation overhauls the sport has ever seen. Adorned in the team’s signature British racing green and finished in a refined matte satin, the AMR26 marks the beginning of a new era while staying true to a design concept that has delivered results in recent years.
Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll commented on the philosophy behind the AMR26 and how Aston Martin intends to approach the upcoming season.
"The AMR26 represents a defining step for Aston Martin Aramco as we enter Formula One's new era in 2026. These regulations mark the biggest reset the sport has seen in a generation, and we are approaching it with clear ambition: to build a team capable of winning. Every move we make is by design – considered, deliberate and built for where we are going.
"This year also marks our first season as a full works team, supported by world-class partners including Honda, Aramco and Valvoline. With the AMR Technology Campus now complete, we have the people, facilities and long-term investment in place to compete with the very best. Today is another important milestone on that journey."
While Aston Martin can certainly mark this reveal as a positive step in their journey, recent history hasn’t been entirely kind to the team. Last season, they slipped to P7 in the Constructors’ Championship, a notable drop from their P5 finish the year prior.
The driver pairing of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll amassed just 89 points across the campaign, with Alonso emphatically out-qualifying his teammate 24–0. Despite a season that fell short of expectations, Aston Martin’s long-term ambition remains clear: to give reigning World Champion Fernando Alonso one final, genuine shot at the title in 2026.
Following the launch this evening, Alonso remained enthusiastic about what’s to come: "This is such an exciting new chapter for Aston Martin as we adapt to the new rules, new power units, and new ideas. With Lawrence and Adrian, we have two of the most determined and competitive people I have ever met leading the team.
"The past few years were not easy, but we've learned a lot, and that experience always makes you stronger. Everybody in this team shares the same hunger to be competitive and I have seen how much effort is happening behind the scenes to give us a car we can develop across the season.
"I'm looking forward to getting on track and developing the car as we head to Bahrain this week. I can't wait to push hard and help make Aston Martin Aramco stronger and more competitive."
Echoing the sentiments of the 44-year-old, teammate Stroll voiced his excitement about the season ahead, and taking direction from esteemed designer and Team Principal Adrian Newey.
"The AMR26 is the first car to come out of our completed campus and the first as a works team with Honda, so it's a big moment for the team. Our shakedown went well, which is important with a new car, and it gave us a solid first feel for it.
"The 2026 regulations are a big change and a real challenge for all teams, so now it's about building our understanding of the car with the goal of continuing to bring performance upgrades throughout the season.
"It's great to be working with Adrian Newey and so many talented people at Aston Martin Aramco who are really pushing hard to make that happen. Next up is testing in Bahrain where we'll be gathering as much information as possible ahead of the opening round in Melbourne. It should be an exciting year for the fans."
With the car launch scheduled after the first session of private testing in Barcelona, Aston Martin’s season livery has yet to make its on-track debut. That wait won’t last long, however, as public testing in Bahrain gets underway later this week, giving fans their first glimpse of the AMR26 decked in this livery in action.
With Aston Martin’s reveal now complete, all eleven F1 teams have officially unveiled their 2026 liveries, which we can expect to see illuminated under the Bahrain lights in the weeks ahead.
