Fernando Alonso remains convinced that Aston Martin’s difficult start to the 2026 Formula 1 season can be turned around, and much of that optimism stems from the presence of one man: Adrian Newey.

Despite a frustrating campaign that has left Aston Martin near the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship standings, Alonso has revealed that he is in constant communication with the legendary designer as the team searches for solutions to the numerous problems affecting the AMR26.

The two-time world champion acknowledged that the current situation is far from ideal. Aston Martin entered Formula 1’s latest technical era with high ambitions, hoping to establish itself among the sport’s elite teams. Instead, the opening seven rounds have exposed significant weaknesses throughout the package.

Performance has been inconsistent, reliability has been a recurring concern, and the team has struggled to unlock competitive pace from both its chassis and newly introduced Honda works power unit.

As a result, points have been extremely difficult to come by.

In fact, Aston Martin’s only point of the season arrived in Monaco, a result that merely prevented the Silverstone-based outfit from occupying last place in the Constructors’ standings. For a team that invested heavily in facilities, personnel, and technical resources over recent years, the reality has been deeply disappointing.

The challenges became particularly evident during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

For Alonso, the event carried emotional significance.

The Spanish veteran admitted before the weekend that the race could potentially represent his final Formula 1 appearance at the historic circuit, depending on future calendar decisions and the remaining years of his career. Naturally, he hoped to produce a memorable performance in front of his home crowd.

Instead, the weekend turned into another painful reminder of Aston Martin’s current struggles.

Alonso found himself at the bottom of the qualifying timesheets, unable to extract meaningful performance from the AMR26. The result was especially frustrating because Barcelona is a circuit he knows exceptionally well, having competed there throughout much of his Formula 1 career.

Unfortunately, race day brought little improvement.

After battling through a difficult opening phase of the Grand Prix, Alonso was eventually forced to retire before reaching the checkered flag. The retirement ended any hope of scoring points and denied Spanish fans the opportunity to celebrate a strong result from their home hero.

Yet despite the disappointment, Alonso emerged from the weekend surprisingly positive.

The reason was simple: Adrian Newey.

The arrival of Newey at Aston Martin remains one of the most significant developments in modern Formula 1. Widely regarded as the greatest technical mind in the history of the sport, the British engineer has played a central role in multiple championship-winning projects across several decades.

His influence has transformed teams before, and Alonso believes he can do so again.

Speaking about his working relationship with Newey, Alonso revealed that communication between the pair has become a regular part of Aston Martin’s development process.

“We speak with Adrian every week,” Alonso explained. “It’s not as though we’re disconnected from what’s happening behind the scenes. There is a constant exchange of information and ideas.”

The Spaniard emphasized that Newey’s involvement extends far beyond simply reviewing technical reports from the factory.

Whenever the renowned designer attends race weekends, he becomes deeply engaged in understanding exactly what drivers are experiencing behind the wheel.

“When he’s at the circuit, he’s incredibly detailed,” Alonso said. “He listens carefully to the feedback from both drivers and tries to understand precisely what is happening in every corner of the track.”

That attention to detail has impressed Alonso.

Unlike many senior technical figures who focus exclusively on data and simulations, Newey remains fascinated by the human side of performance. He wants to know not only what the telemetry is showing, but also how the drivers feel when they are pushing the car to its limits.

For a veteran like Alonso, that approach is invaluable.

Throughout his career, he has worked with some of the most respected engineers in Formula 1. From his championship-winning years at Renault to his spells at McLaren and Ferrari, Alonso has experienced a wide variety of technical philosophies. His praise for Newey therefore carries significant weight.

More importantly, Alonso believes Newey’s greatest strength lies in his ability to think several steps ahead.

While much of the paddock focuses on immediate problems, Newey is already considering future solutions.

According to Alonso, discussions rarely focus solely on the next race weekend. Instead, Newey examines how current issues relate to future upgrades and longer-term development plans.

“I think Adrian is always thinking ahead,” Alonso explained. “He’s not only looking at the problems we’re experiencing right now. He’s already considering what future packages will bring and how they can solve these issues.”

That long-term perspective could prove crucial for Aston Martin.

The AMR26 currently suffers from several significant weaknesses that cannot be fixed overnight. Reliability concerns surrounding the Honda power unit have repeatedly compromised race weekends. Mechanical failures have cost valuable track time, while unexpected technical issues have undermined confidence within the team.

The gearbox has also emerged as a major challenge.

For the first time, Aston Martin designed and developed its own gearbox system for the 2026 regulations. While the project represented an important step toward becoming a fully integrated works team, the transition has not been seamless.

Engineers continue working to improve durability, efficiency, and overall integration with the rest of the package.

Compounding the situation is the fact that Aston Martin has yet to introduce any major performance upgrades seven races into the season.

While rival teams have steadily evolved their cars, Aston Martin has focused much of its effort on understanding and stabilizing the existing package before committing resources to significant aerodynamic developments.

That decision has occasionally frustrated fans eager to see immediate progress.

However, Alonso believes patience is necessary.

He revealed that Newey is already examining future upgrade concepts not only for upcoming races but also for later stages of the season.

Whether discussing developments for high-downforce circuits, street tracks, or specific aerodynamic challenges, Newey is reportedly mapping out solutions months in advance.

“He’s thinking about future race weekends already,” Alonso said. “He’s considering what can be done for tracks like Singapore and other street circuits, as well as how future upgrades can address the weaknesses we’re currently seeing.”

Such planning reflects Newey’s reputation as a visionary engineer.

Throughout his career, one of his greatest strengths has been identifying trends before competitors and anticipating challenges before they become critical. Aston Martin hopes that same foresight will eventually transform its fortunes.

For Alonso, simply having Newey involved provides reassurance.

The Spaniard openly described the engineer as the best person possible to lead Aston Martin’s technical recovery.

“We have the best with us,” Alonso stated confidently. “The more time we spend working together at the track, the better our understanding becomes, and the stronger the project will be.”

Those comments highlight the belief that remains within the team despite disappointing results.

Internally, Aston Martin continues to view 2026 as a building year rather than a definitive judgment on its long-term potential. The combination of Newey’s expertise, Honda’s factory partnership, and the team’s state-of-the-art infrastructure still represents one of the most ambitious projects in Formula 1.

The challenge now is translating that potential into performance.

As the championship moves on to the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring, Alonso knows immediate results may remain difficult to achieve. Nevertheless, his confidence in the direction of the project appears stronger than ever.

While the AMR26 may currently be one of the least competitive cars on the grid, Alonso believes the foundations for future success are slowly being established behind the scenes.

And with Adrian Newey helping shape the team’s future, the Spanish veteran remains convinced that Aston Martin’s story this season is far from finished.

For now, the results may not reflect the team’s ambitions. But according to Alonso, the most important work is happening away from the spotlight—and the man leading that effort is widely regarded as Formula 1’s greatest engineering genius.