The Belgian Grand Prix weekend may have marked the end of Aston Martin’s struggles in the 2026 Formula 1 season. As Mike Krack, the British squad’s Trackside Engineering Director, explained to the media—including GRANDE PRÊMIO—at Spa-Francorchamps, the green team is eager to see the results of the major upgrade package set to be introduced at the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Aiming to establish itself as one of the sport’s powerhouse teams, the Silverstone-based outfit invested heavily in state-of-the-art facilities and marquee signings, such as Adrian Newey—the mastermind behind some of the most dominant race cars in motorsport history. However, the partnership with Honda has yet to yield the expected results, prompting all parties to work relentlessly since early January to turn around a chaotic campaign for Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

The first step of this recovery plan will be taken in Hungary this weekend, with Aston Martin bringing a major aerodynamic package for the AMR26. The second phase will arrive at the Dutch Grand Prix following the summer break, when Honda’s new Power Unit makes its track debut.

Unsurprisingly, Krack faced repeated questions in Belgium regarding the planned developments for the Hungaroring. In Spa, Alonso crossed the line in 19th place—a lap down on Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas in 18th—while Stroll failed to finish due to reliability issues.

“We are very pleased to finally have some upgrades on the car. Everyone wants to know how much performance they will bring, and so do we. We’ll just have to wait and see. The most important thing is to get back into proper contention, because we haven’t been fighting over the last few races. It was extremely tough to keep up with the midfield. Regardless of the step forward these upgrades bring, getting back into the fight for positions is what matters most for everyone,” he began.

“We need to see what [the upgrades] actually deliver on track. You’re right in saying this will come in stages. The long stretch without bringing updates is over. The outlook for the future looks promising, and we are all looking forward to getting to Budapest and seeing where we stand,” added the Aston Martin boss.

Mike Krack expanded on the upcoming upgrades (Photo: Rodrigo Berton / Agência Warm Up)

Por fim, ao ser questionado sobre a dimensão do pacote de melhorias, o luxemburguês o classificou como “bastante abrangente” e detalhou os pontos de atenção. “Os principais objetivos são melhorias aerodinâmicas e redução de peso. Para alcançar isso, é preciso modificar muitas coisas. Conseguimos atingir tudo o que queríamos. Tudo isso faz parte do grande pacote que vamos receber. Estamos contando os dias”, encerrou.

Finally, when asked about the scale of the development package, the Luxembourger described it as “fairly comprehensive” and detailed the primary focus areas. “The main targets are aerodynamic efficiency and weight reduction. To achieve that, you have to modify a lot of components. We managed to hit all our targets. It’s all part of the major package we’re getting. We’re counting down the days,” he concluded.

Formula 1 returns on July 24–26 in Budapest for the Hungarian Grand Prix, the 11th round of the 2026 season.

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