Aston Martin Leaves Spa Empty-Handed but Looks Ahead to a New Beginning in Hungary

The 2026 Belgian Grand Prix was another difficult weekend for Aston Martin, but the team arrived at Spa-Francorchamps knowing that this would likely be the final race before a major turning point in their season.

Fernando Alonso started from the back of the grid after taking a power unit penalty, while Lance Stroll also faced an uphill battle. From the opening laps, Aston Martin simply lacked the pace to fight for points on one of Formula 1’s fastest circuits.

Stroll’s race ended early with a suspected gearbox problem, leaving Alonso as the team’s only finisher. The two-time World Champion crossed the line in 19th place, two laps behind the race winner.

Despite the disappointing result, Alonso remained realistic about the situation.

“We did our best today, but we knew our limitations this weekend. We collected some valuable data for the team and are now focused on Budapest.”

His comments reflected the team’s mindset throughout the weekend. Rather than chasing an unlikely points finish, Aston Martin concentrated on gathering data and preparing for the next race.

Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack admitted that the team simply did not have the pace to compete at Spa. Instead, Aston Martin focused on executing a clean race and maximizing everything within its control before shifting attention to Hungary, where the long-awaited upgrade package will make its debut.

The Hungarian Grand Prix is expected to mark the biggest technical step of Aston Martin’s 2026 campaign. The AMR26 will receive a significant upgrade package aimed at improving overall performance after a difficult first half of the season. Adrian Newey has also expressed confidence that the new package represents an important step in the team’s long-term development.

For Alonso, however, the upgrades are about more than immediate lap time. He has repeatedly emphasized that he believes Aston Martin’s true potential is much higher than its current results suggest and that the team’s future cannot be judged solely on the difficult start to the 2026 season.

Spa may have been another frustrating race for Aston Martin, but within the team there is a sense that this chapter is coming to an end.

If the new package performs as expected in Hungary, the Belgian Grand Prix may be remembered not as another disappointing weekend, but as the final race before Aston Martin’s season finally began.