Aston Martin boss privately admits Audi are ‘way ahead’ of them heading into the Australian GP

Follow us on Google Discover

Aston Martin are facing a bleak reality heading into the 2026 season opener in Australia, as they openly admit they are miles behind the competition.

So much was expected from the Silverstone outfit’s project going into the season. With Adrian Newey designing the car with Honda engines, many expected Lawrence Stroll’s heavy investment to pay off handsomely.

Instead, they found themselves four seconds off the pace in pre-season testing, with a desperately unreliable and underpowered engine. Bernie Collins says Aston Martin look like a ‘new team’, which is ironic as F1’s actual newcomers look to be ahead of them.

Can Adrian Newey turn the Aston Martin AMR26 into a race-winning car in 2026?

Comment

Like or Comment

Have your say Sign-in now for free

Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll struggled to get comfortable in the AMR26 during testing, with the latter completing just six laps on the final day in Bahrain. Aston Martin are now scrambling to find solutions before the Australian Grand Prix.

However, Ralf Schumacher warns Aston Martin’s solution may take months to find. They face sitting at the back of the grid in Australia, and they are fully aware of that.

Aston Martin boss admits Audi are ‘way ahead’ of them heading into Australian GP

Aston Martin’s mileage in pre-season testing was the lowest of any team, with even newcomers Audi and Cadillac beating them.

If testing was anything to go by, Aston Martin look firmly last in the pecking order. Audi may be expected to be in a similar position, given that they are a new team and engine manufacturer.

But an Aston Martin boss privately admitted to journalist Julianne Cerasoli that Audi were ‘way ahead’ of them in pre-season, as they struggled with multiple issues with the Honda power unit.

Cerasoli discussed Aston Martin’s problems via Formula Latina: There’s not a lot of concern. You can see, I was talking to one of the bosses there. He was talking about Audi, I saw him in the paddock.

‘Andy, can I ask a question that’s not about Aston Martin?’ They said, ‘Ah, please, I don’t want to talk to you right now.’

‘How are Audi going?’ ‘Way, way ahead of us. Way, way ahead of us.’ But it’s true, a lot of things haven’t worked. There are problems with the engine, problems with the gearbox, problems with the car, so there’s a lot of work ahead.

READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage

Will Aston Martin even make it to the Australian Grand Prix?

Newey and Honda are working tirelessly to solve Aston Martin’s woes before the Australian GP. They are planning to bring numerous updates to the car to give their drivers a fighting chance.

However, Aston Martin’s parts are not guaranteed to work, highlighting a miserable situation for the team. They already face being incredibly uncompetitive in Melbourne, but it is now being rumoured that they may not even make it to the race.

Aston Martin are planning to complete a minimal distance in Australia, with reports suggesting that they might retire not long after the formation lap. The team is in ‘crisis’ as they do not look like they can complete a full race distance.