Aston Martin, known for its rocky history with upgrades in Formula 1, faced another disappointing weekend at Imola. Despite bringing a slew of updates to the AMR25, the British team left the Italian track without a single point, leaving them in seventh place in the championship standings. This setback added to the frustration of a team undergoing regeneration, with recent moves to an impressive new campus and star hirings like Adrian Newey. The team also boasts one of the newest wind tunnels on the grid, which only became operational at the start of the 2025 season.
The start of the 2025 season for Aston Martin saw them finish 11th (Fernando Alonso) and 15th (Lance Stroll) at Imola, falling short of their expectations. Team principal Andy Cowell expressed disappointment at missing out on a point by less than a second, highlighting the frustration felt by the team. However, there were moments of promise during the weekend, with Stroll qualifying eighth, his best performance of the season, and Alonso securing fifth place on the grid, his best since the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix.
Despite the setbacks at Imola, Cowell found positives to take away from the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. The team had introduced an update that improved the car’s performance, showing potential until unforeseen circumstances like safety cars and virtual safety cars impacted their race strategy. Alonso also echoed the sentiment, believing that the team finally had a strong car capable of scoring points on merit, a far cry from their struggles with upgrades in the past.
Aston Martin’s journey towards improvement has been marked by challenges in developing updates that work across various circuit types. However, their latest upgrades have shown progress, with the new parts making a noticeable difference on track. The team’s decision to run practice sessions with both old and new specifications allowed them to gather valuable data for comparison, confirming the upgrades’ positive impact on performance.
The upgrades introduced by Aston Martin were developed using their new wind tunnel, a significant milestone for the team. The data collected at Imola will help calibrate the tunnel further, setting the team on the right path for future upgrades. With F1’s new ruleset on the horizon in 2026, Aston Martin is focused on moving in the right direction as they work towards transforming their season and staying competitive in the sport.
While the team may have missed out on additional points at Imola, the lessons learned and data collected from the race will be crucial for their future success. As they continue to refine their upgrades and improve their performance, Aston Martin is poised to make significant strides in the upcoming races.
