Aston Martin - World Champions?
Discussion
This occurred to me the other day when chatting to a mate, if you were to described the following team:
Team Principle = Andy Cowell
Technical Director = Adrian Newey
Lead Driver = Fernando Alonso
Engines = Works Honda
State of the art wind tunnel & simulator
You would assume they are going to walk to the 2026 championship.
But, somehow, I just can't see it.
Just me?
Team Principle = Andy Cowell
Technical Director = Adrian Newey
Lead Driver = Fernando Alonso
Engines = Works Honda
State of the art wind tunnel & simulator
You would assume they are going to walk to the 2026 championship.
But, somehow, I just can't see it.
Just me?
sandman77 said:
It could happen. 2026 will be won by the team who nails the new regs from the start and having the best designer and the best wind tunnel surely makes them one of the favourites.
This x 1000. We might see more than 1 team nail the regs. But it's always very much dependent on who's initial concept has hit it right. I do feel they're in a good place though. In terms of aero, it's very rare that Newey will get it all that wrong. So it probably hinges most on Honda supplying a fast and reliable engine.
In terms of Alonso, I think he's still showing that he can drive and more importantly, he can race. His hunger is still there. Physically I think he's as fit as ever and has kept himself in such great shape through his career. Give him the right car I really do think that age is just a number. My only concern would be if it is Aston Martin being leagues ahead of everyone else that he'll either be sabotaged internally or be made to help prop Stroll up.
sandman77 said:
It could happen. 2026 will be won by the team who nails the new regs from the start and having the best designer and the best wind tunnel surely makes them one of the favourites.
Exactly. They should absolutely nail, yet somehow the doubt remains.It will be very interesting to revisit this in just under 2 years time.
Jayho said:
In terms of Alonso, I think he's still showing that he can drive and more importantly, he can race. His hunger is still there. Physically I think he's as fit as ever and has kept himself in such great shape through his career. Give him the right car I really do think that age is just a number. My only concern would be if it is Aston Martin being leagues ahead of everyone else that he'll either be sabotaged internally or be made to help prop Stroll up.
Give Alonso a winning car and he will win with it.Papa Stroll is smart enough to realise that winning the team's first championship is more important gifting his son a championship. Throughout his F1 career, he has never gifted his son anything other than being allowed to be there. Every teammate he's had has been allowed to beat him if they could. I feel that Lance would be told in no uncertain terms to play the support roll to Alonso if it came down to an opportunity for his team to win.
That might only change if they produce a string of winning cars, Alonso retires after getting his final victory to end his career, and they give Lance a weaker teammate to finally give him a chance of glory in a still-dominant car.
That may all be wishful thinking, but this is probably their best shot at title glory. It will also help them greatly if 2025 continues the four-way scrap for the title from 2024, as that will distract the current big four from their preparations for 2026. As long as they are still in the fight in 2025 they won't want to give that up to go all in on 2026 development.
Presuming Ed said:
ThingsBehindTheSun said:
Alonso will be nearly 45 by the 2026 season and even if they had the fastest car there is no way Stroll could win a championship.
If they got Verstappen on board for 26 I think they would walk it.
Probably this If they got Verstappen on board for 26 I think they would walk it.
MustangGT said:
Why Verstappen and not LeClerc, Russell, Sainz etc.
Last time CLC was in WDC fight (2022) he made unforced errors and Sainz wasn't on the same pace; Russell is untested at WDC level.Verstappen is arguably at his peak. The only known error is that he likes to drive WDC competitors off the road.
I think Stroll X2 need to step away,. or take a back seat then they might perform, having known a few people that worked for the road car company, there was basically a mass exodus after his initial few years, he was such a difficult man to deal with. Building cars is not like making clothes for immense profit as they are made in sweatshops in Bangladesh by the thousand an hour. 120 grand cars are not, and I also know people who work there now and I would not be seen dead buying one from what he tells me!
If the rumours that Mercedes have done a 2014 with their new engine are true it won’t matter a jot. It’ll be whichever Merc engined team has nailed the aero regs that will win in ‘26. If true, it will likely be between McLaren and Mercedes with hopefully Williams picking up a win or two.
But then maybe Honda have done the same but have kept it quiet. It’ll be interesting to see where Verstappen ends up.
But then maybe Honda have done the same but have kept it quiet. It’ll be interesting to see where Verstappen ends up.
I don't rate Alonso as highly as many do. At Renault he benefitted from a tyre advantage in 2005 and 2006 the mass damper (banned part way through the season, check the results from then on). He had a very average teammate and a team boss who's known for cheating.
He didn't dominate either year.
At McLaren his ego histrionics cost him a WDC and through years at Ferrari he conspired not to win the championship and beyond that he's been pootling around amusing us with deckchairs and the occasional overtake.
He likes to show how clever he is which seems to fool enough people enough of the time but his career suggests he's not the asset many ascribe.
He didn't dominate either year.
At McLaren his ego histrionics cost him a WDC and through years at Ferrari he conspired not to win the championship and beyond that he's been pootling around amusing us with deckchairs and the occasional overtake.
He likes to show how clever he is which seems to fool enough people enough of the time but his career suggests he's not the asset many ascribe.
Jinba Ittai said:
If the rumours that Mercedes have done a 2014 with their new engine are true it won’t matter a jot. It’ll be whichever Merc engined team has nailed the aero regs that will win in ‘26. If true, it will likely be between McLaren and Mercedes with hopefully Williams picking up a win or two.
But then maybe Honda have done the same but have kept it quiet. It’ll be interesting to see where Verstappen ends up.
I keep hearing about these rumours, but only on forums, I have never actually seen the source of the rumour, do you know where it has come from?But then maybe Honda have done the same but have kept it quiet. It’ll be interesting to see where Verstappen ends up.
The rumour about Angela Cullen & Hamilton pairing up again appears to have come from a selfie of her skiing wearing a red jacket!
Forester1965 said:
I don't rate Alonso as highly as many do. At Renault he benefitted from a tyre advantage in 2005 and 2006 the mass damper (banned part way through the season, check the results from then on). He had a very average teammate and a team boss who's known for cheating.
He didn't dominate either year.
At McLaren his ego histrionics cost him a WDC and through years at Ferrari he conspired not to win the championship and beyond that he's been pootling around amusing us with deckchairs and the occasional overtake.
He likes to show how clever he is which seems to fool enough people enough of the time but his career suggests he's not the asset many ascribe.
I don't particularly rate him either, but I still think he is better than a lot of the grid.He didn't dominate either year.
At McLaren his ego histrionics cost him a WDC and through years at Ferrari he conspired not to win the championship and beyond that he's been pootling around amusing us with deckchairs and the occasional overtake.
He likes to show how clever he is which seems to fool enough people enough of the time but his career suggests he's not the asset many ascribe.
I think it will take a few years. Aston were flying before the disruption of the move to the new factory. New facility and work practices always take time to work. Usual resistance ,conscious or sub conscious. 1% or 2% less engagement makes all the difference in F1.
Whats interesting is they had the sense reassign Fallows before Newey arrived so he couldn't have a gander at some new idea for his next job.
Whats interesting is they had the sense reassign Fallows before Newey arrived so he couldn't have a gander at some new idea for his next job.
Megaflow said:
Jinba Ittai said:
If the rumours that Mercedes have done a 2014 with their new engine are true it won’t matter a jot. It’ll be whichever Merc engined team has nailed the aero regs that will win in ‘26. If true, it will likely be between McLaren and Mercedes with hopefully Williams picking up a win or two.
But then maybe Honda have done the same but have kept it quiet. It’ll be interesting to see where Verstappen ends up.
I keep hearing about these rumours, but only on forums, I have never actually seen the source of the rumour, do you know where it has come from?But then maybe Honda have done the same but have kept it quiet. It’ll be interesting to see where Verstappen ends up.
thegreenhell said:
Megaflow said:
Jinba Ittai said:
If the rumours that Mercedes have done a 2014 with their new engine are true it won’t matter a jot. It’ll be whichever Merc engined team has nailed the aero regs that will win in ‘26. If true, it will likely be between McLaren and Mercedes with hopefully Williams picking up a win or two.
But then maybe Honda have done the same but have kept it quiet. It’ll be interesting to see where Verstappen ends up.
I keep hearing about these rumours, but only on forums, I have never actually seen the source of the rumour, do you know where it has come from?But then maybe Honda have done the same but have kept it quiet. It’ll be interesting to see where Verstappen ends up.
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