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Juan Pablo Montoya expects Aston Martin to take a significant step forward after the summer break, crediting Adrian Newey's growing influence on the team's development trajectory. The former Williams and McLaren driver believes the Silverstone-based outfit could begin scoring points consistently by the time the calendar reaches Madrid or Malaysia, a critical shift for a team that has languished near the back of the grid for much of 2026.
Aston Martin introduced a major upgrade package at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso finished 13th and 14th respectively. While the results offered little on paper, the team viewed the weekend as a clear step in the right direction. Montoya shares that assessment, pointing to the scale of the improvement as evidence that Newey's technical vision is beginning to materialise in the car's design.
"Aston Martin went from a car that was right at the back to one that was suddenly competitive," Montoya told Betpack. "That shows the influence of Newey is slowly becoming visible." The Colombian added that the current AMR25 should not be considered a full Newey design. "When he came in, many important decisions had already been made. He had to work with a car that was already there. Now we're seeing more and more components that actually come from his vision."
Honda partnership key to 2027 ambitions
Montoya believes the real leap will come in 2027, when Honda has had time to fully integrate its power unit development with Aston Martin's chassis philosophy. "Honda has the time now to develop further for 2027. If Honda and Aston Martin can combine that development well, something beautiful can emerge," he said. The partnership, announced in 2023, represents a reunion for Honda with a major works project following its Red Bull tenure.
For now, Montoya identifies power unit performance as a lingering weakness. "I think Honda is still lacking in power, but that deficit can be roughly halved in my view." He expects a new power unit specification at Zandvoort to deliver another incremental gain, building on the progress shown in Hungary.
Zandvoort set for another upgrade step
The Dutch Grand Prix will serve as the next test of Aston Martin's development direction. Montoya anticipates further progress at the seaside circuit, where the team is scheduled to introduce a revised power unit. "For Zandvoort there's a new engine coming and that should be another step forward. I wouldn't be surprised if we see Aston Martin starting to score points around Madrid or Malaysia," he said.
Montoya estimates the team is still around a second off the pace, a gap that would typically place them outside the points window. But he framed that deficit in the context of where the team stood earlier in the season. "Before, it was three or four seconds. If you look at the problems Williams, Alpine and Haas are dealing with, you see how special that is. Newey comes in and his first car is already better than those of many other teams. That says enough about his influence."
Williams and midfield targets
Beyond Aston Martin, Montoya outlined his expectations for Williams, a team he drove for during his F1 career. "I would like to see Williams develop into a team that can fight with Audi and Racing Bulls. That's a nice challenge for them," he said. Williams has struggled to maintain the momentum shown in pre-season testing, and Montoya's comments reflect a widely held view that the Grove outfit must raise its development rate to remain relevant in the midfield battle.
Ahead of Zandvoort, Montoya offered a podium prediction: Lando Norris for the win, followed by Max Verstappen and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli. The forecast places faith in McLaren's current form and suggests Verstappen will continue to extract strong results despite Red Bull's recent struggles. Aston Martin, meanwhile, will hope that Newey's fingerprints on the AMR25 become clearer still as the European swing resumes.
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