Juan Pablo Montoya has expressed his confidence in the future of Aston Martin and Adrian Newey. According to the Colombian, it is only a matter of time before the Silverstone team finds its way up, despite the difficult start under the leadership of the renowned designer. During the Hungarian GP race weekend, Aston Martin already unveiled an upgraded AMR26, equipped with numerous aerodynamic upgrades under Newey’s leadership.
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Newey joined the British racing stable in 2025 as technical director and shareholder. Later, the role of team principal was added. In his first full season with Aston Martin, the Brit faces the major challenge of guiding the team through the new 2026 regulations and the collaboration with Honda. So far, that process has been difficult, given the significant gap of the AMR26 to the competition. However, with an extensive upgrade package in Hungary, the team hopes to turn the tide.
In an F1TV broadcast, Montoya discussed the situation at Aston Martin. The Colombian noted that star driver Fernando Alonso consistently expresses his confidence in the team. “In public, I think he’s trying to spur the team on a bit, just like Max (Verstappen, ed.) does: ‘I want to stay, but you need to perform better’,” Montoya responded. “And realistically, he can assume that will happen; leave that to Adrian (Newey, ed.) and Aston Martin.”
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Matter of time
According to Montoya, the question at Aston Martin is not whether the team will be successful, but when it will happen. “The question is not whether it will succeed, but when, and whether Alonso can adapt to that. The step they can take this weekend will be very important.” The Colombian expects that the new engine and further developments will provide a better picture of the team’s actual potential. “The Hungarian GP will not yet be a good reflection of where Aston Martin will be in two months. As soon as they have the new engine and we go to Monza, Baku, Madrid, and all those other races, we will get a much better picture.”
Montoya would ideally like to see Aston Martin quickly join the midfield teams. “It would be great if by the time they go to Madrid, they are at Williams’ level, or even close to Alpine. That would be wonderful to see.” At the same time, he warned that the patience of Alonso and teammate Lance Stroll is not unlimited. “If the car truly becomes good, we will see those two drivers for at least a few more years. But if the car doesn’t become competitive, I might see them both leave. The only question is how long they can keep this up.”
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