[Saba Sports News] Aston Martin is fully preparing for the 2026 season, but the team remains calm about its prospects. Driver Lance Stroll recently stated that Aston Martin does not yet possess all the necessary conditions to be a top team. This statement aligns with new team principal Adrian Newey’s previous assessment of the team’s technical foundation. During the Monaco Grand Prix of the 2025 season, Newey publicly pointed out the team’s significant shortcomings in simulation tools, particularly emphasizing that the driver-in-the-loop simulator requires substantial improvement. In an era of restricted testing, such tools are crucial for car development, directly impacting the direction of setup and upgrade efficiency.
In response to these issues, Aston Martin has initiated measures to strengthen its capabilities. The team has brought back Giles Wood, Newey’s former partner at Red Bull and an expert in simulation, in an attempt to quickly close the technical gap. Nonetheless, Stroll remains clear-headed, stating that no one can accurately predict the true capabilities of each team for the 2026 season until just before the start of the Monaco Grand Prix, meaning everything is still uncertain.