F1 tech expert says one Aston Martin 2026 project rumour simply isn’t true, ‘not what I’m hearing’

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Aston Martin have spent the majority of this campaign channelling their resources towards the upcoming rule changes for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Next year, Formula 1’s regulations are changing, with both the power unit and aerodynamic systems of each car being updated.

With the cost cap also in place, it has meant that all 10 teams in the paddock have been trying to perform a balancing act to make sure they don’t fall too far behind this year, while also putting themselves in the strongest position possible for 2026.

Aston Martin were one of the first teams to direct their resources away from this year’s car.

Adrian Newey arrived from Red Bull but was immediately put to work on next year’s machine, while Honda are already working on their new power unit as they prepare to enter an exclusive partnership with Lawrence Stroll’s team.

Although Newey thinks Aston Martin are playing catch-up, it would be silly to rule them out as potential contenders next season.

Many expect the upcoming era of Formula 1 to be dominated by the team with the best power unit.

Formula 1 technical expert Matthew Somerfield has been speaking about what he’s heard about Aston Martin’s engine, and thinks the rumours surrounding it simply aren’t true.

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

Matthew Somerfield says rumours that Honda are ‘behind the eight ball’ for Aston Martin aren’t true

Somerfield was speaking on the Missed Apex Podcast about the 2026 power units, and he explained: “I would also then suggest that the likes of Aston Martin with Honda will have a fairly good stab at a new set of regulations together, because of the sort of powerhouse that has been built there from a technical point of view.

“Certainly, the likes of Andy Cowell being involved in the project of ex-Mercedes lineage and now working for Aston Martin, but obviously in pocket with Honda, and obviously now they have Adrian Newey on board as well.

“So, they certainly would seem to be a team that would be in or around it.

“I know there were rumours going around that they would be behind the eight ball, but it’s not what I’m hearing.

“Ferrari, as well, obviously, I wouldn’t expect them to be too far away. I think the two teams that I would expect to struggle the most from a power unit perspective would be the new entrants.

“Just purely from a personnel point of view, and also obviously from a resources point of view of being able to overlap this current project with a new project and understanding how to integrate everything.

“After all, Audi are coming in afresh and obviously Red Bull are funding their own power unit in conjunction with Ford. So that’s going to be a difficult one, I would have thought, even though they have kind of got personnel coming out of the Mercedes fold and also stolen from elsewhere.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about Aston Martin CEO and team principal Andy Cowell

Felipe Drugovich has spotted something ‘crazy’ testing Aston Martin’s 2026 Formula 1 car

A report from Grada3 suggests that Honda have already started testing their 2026 power unit ahead of starting their partnership with Aston Martin.

It’s likely that their rivals are all in a similar position, but until they all take to the track, it’s hard to know who will be on top.

However, Aston Martin are already working hard on the simulator to begin testing next year’s car.

Lance Stroll said after testing the car that the experience was ‘a bit sad’, via The Race, and that he wasn’t sure if the regulations were ‘exciting’.

Reserve driver Felipe Drugovich, on the other hand, has been more positive.

Drugovich says Aston Martin’s 2026 car pushes like crazy out of corners, which is a very different experience from next year.

That might be down to the new aerodynamic systems being introduced, but Stroll and Fernando Alonso will hope it’s because Honda have already discovered an advantage the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari are still trying to find.