Aston Martin’s turbulent start leaves the F1 paddock stunned — Even Sergio Pérez didn’t see it coming

Aston Martin’s rocky start to the Formula 1 season has caught just about everyone off guard. The Silverstone‑based team set sky‑high expectations after landing Adrian Newey — the legendary engineer behind Red Bull’s dominant era — but no one anticipated the new regulations would hit them this hard once the cars actually hit the track.

At first glance, the AMR26 looked promising when it finally rolled out — late — for preseason testing in Barcelona back in January. The aerodynamics, as expected from a Newey design, seemed like the car’s biggest weapon. But the optimism evaporated quickly. The car struggled to reach proper speed, then shut down moments later, triggering panic throughout the garage. Honda, now powering Aston Martin, immediately found itself under scrutiny.

A nightmare start: vibrations, DNFs, and a car that can’t stay together

The problems only escalated during Bahrain testing and the season‑opening Australian Grand Prix. Inside the Aston Martin garage, chaos became the norm. Drivers were openly admitting that simply completing more than 15 laps would be a victory — the vibrations were so violent they feared long‑term damage to their hands.

Predictably, they didn’t finish the race. They didn’t finish in China either.It wasn’t until Japan that Fernando Alonso finally saw the checkered flag — and even then, he finished outside the points.

Aston Martin believes it’s finally getting the vibration issues under control, but the Honda power unit remains unreliable. Team insiders warn it could take months before the car makes a meaningful performance leap. For now, they’re taking baby steps while the public — and the paddock — watches in disbelief.

Six drivers still scoreless — and Aston Martin is the biggest shock

Across the grid, six drivers remain without a single point after the first three races:

Realistically, Cadillac’s struggles are the least surprising — they’re the newest team on the grid and expected to need time before becoming competitive. But Aston Martin? With Newey, Honda, and years of experience? That’s the shockwave.

Even Sergio “Checo” Pérez admitted as much in an interview with DAZN. He said he genuinely expected Fernando Alonso to be fighting at the front.

“I really believed in the project with Newey,” Pérez said. “I worked with Adrian at Red Bull, and with Honda too. I didn’t expect this from Aston Martin.”

Still, Pérez is trying to find the silver lining. “These are the surprises Formula 1 gives you. Right now, we’re fighting with Fernando. Race by race, at least we won’t get bored. I always joke with him — don’t improve too fast so we can have fun together and climb up the grid at the same time.”

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