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Aston Martin will bring a sweeping technical upgrade to the Hungarian Grand Prix, targeting a return to midfield competitiveness after a dismal start to the season. Pedro de la Rosa, former Formula 1 driver and team ambassador, told PlanetF1 the package represents the first phase of a broader recovery plan, with changes spanning aerodynamics, weight reduction, and chassis balance. Fernando Alonso remains the only Aston driver to score a point in 2025, a stark reversal for a team that finished fifth in the constructors' championship last year.
De la Rosa framed the upgrade as a functional necessity rather than a performance leap. "It must help the drivers to fight, to have fun, to have a more predictable platform, to be faster and ultimately more competitive," he said. The Spaniard declined to quantify expected gains, citing too many unknowns ahead of track running. "We should never set a target on how fast or what kind of leap forward we want to make with this upgrade, because there are still many unknown factors. We have to be very careful, because there's no point saying something; we just have to deliver."
Last-place reality bites
Aston Martin currently sits at the bottom of the timesheets, regularly competing with Cadillac for the final grid positions in both qualifying and race trim. The team's fall from grace has been swift: after a strong 2023 campaign and a respectable 2024, the AMR25 has proven undriveable in its current specification. "We are now last; we just have to perform," De la Rosa admitted. "Our fans deserve that, but we all want a more competitive package."
The upgrade scope extends well beyond bodywork revisions. De la Rosa referenced technical director Adrian Newey's recent explanation of the package, noting it addresses fundamental structural issues. "It's not just an aerodynamic upgrade; there are many parts of the car that will become stronger, starting with improving the weight-saving programme we are implementing." Weight has been a known weakness for Aston Martin since the introduction of the current technical regulations, limiting setup flexibility and tyre management windows.
Driver satisfaction the immediate goal
Both Lance Stroll and Alonso have voiced frustration with the car's behaviour, particularly its unpredictability under braking and mid-corner instability. De la Rosa hopes the Budapest package will restore basic driver confidence. "I hope that when Lance and Fernando get out of the car, they have a smile on their faces and that they were able to fight. At the moment we cannot fight," he said. The lack of pace has left both drivers unable to engage in wheel-to-wheel racing, a psychological drain over a long season.
De la Rosa was clear that Hungary marks the beginning of a development curve, not its conclusion. "The message is that we are working very hard. There are many areas where we are making progress and will continue to improve, but there will still be many other areas that need to improve further." Aston Martin's timeline for sustained competitiveness remains uncertain, but the team views Budapest as a credibility test for its technical reset under Newey's influence. Whether the upgrade delivers enough to lift the team out of the bottom two will determine the narrative heading into the second half of the European season.
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