Newey stakes Alonso's F1 future on Aston Martin's sweeping Hungary upgrade

Adrian Newey has tied Fernando Alonso’s Formula 1 future directly to Aston Martin’s upcoming Hungary upgrade, saying the revamped car must deliver clear, tangible progress if the team hopes to keep the two-time world champion for the 2027 campaign. Alonso’s contract situation remains unresolved as Aston Martin sits at the back of the grid, having slipped behind even newcomer Cadillac in the constructors’ standings.

The 2026 season has been a painful one for the Silverstone outfit. Their challenger arrived overweight and underdeveloped, and a lack of competitiveness from Honda’s power unit has compounded the problems. Rather than roll out incremental updates, the team has held back its development resources for a larger package targeting the Hungarian Grand Prix.

“It’s very important,” Newey said on the Aston Martin website. “Fernando is really looking forward to the upgrade and, if it performs, we hope he’ll be in the cockpit for another season. Given his experience, his feel for the car, his ability to guide development, he’s a tremendous asset. But he wants to see clear, tangible progress. If we can show that we’re moving decisively in the right direction, he’s absolutely committed to being behind the wheel.”

Newey outlined the scope of the work involved, describing it as far more than a conventional update. The team has taken weight out of both the chassis and gearbox, a process that required re-homologation and fresh crash testing of the forward chassis. A new nose and substantially revised aerodynamic surfaces have also been developed, while the rear suspension has been slightly revised.

“The target is to get very close to the weight limit,” Newey said. “We’re predicting a large step, but I’m reluctant to put specific numbers out there because our simulation tools aren’t yet as sophisticated or well correlated as they need to be.”

At 44, Alonso has little margin for patience. The Spaniard has spoken openly about needing to see the project move in a credible direction before committing beyond his current deal, and Newey’s comments confirm that the Hungary package is effectively the team’s most important performance statement of the season. Whether the upgrade delivers on its promise will go a long way to determining whether one of the sport’s most decorated drivers lines up on the 2027 grid.