[Aston Martin’s Disappointing Performance in the 2025 Season]

As we approach the midpoint of the 2025 Formula One season, Aston Martin finds itself grappling with underperformance, having secured only 10 points – a stark contrast to its four podium finishes and 102 points amassed in the first five races of 2023.

[The Root of the Problem: Aston’s Design Missteps]

The root of Aston Martin‘s struggles can be traced back to design missteps. The AMR23, a car that favored high-downforce setups, proved to be weak in slow-speed corners, with engineers attempting to correct these weaknesses in the 2024 season car (AMR24). However, the compromise didn’t pay off, leading to a troubled development process and Aston falling behind its rivals.

[The AMR25: A Step Backwards or a Fresh Start?]

With the AMR25, Aston took a step back, returning to basics in hopes of regaining performance in slow corners. However, the AMR25 doesn’t seem to have fully embraced this new approach, despite the shift in direction made by engineers over the winter.

[The Path Forward: Learning and Adapting]

After the first difficult five races, Aston Martin held a meeting with its top management to decide which development path to follow for 2026, while also trying to salvage a campaign that, so far, has brought very little satisfaction. The team principal, Andy Cowell, remains optimistic, stating, “Can we get more out of the car? Yes, I think we can.

[The Influence of Adrian Newey]

Although Adrian Newey will not be directly involved in the development of the 2025 car, his input will be crucial in improving and implementing every piece of new tooling and equipment that Aston has invested in over recent seasons. The challenge lies in making improvements and progress on the ’25 car before it’s too late, as time is running out and any results might not arrive until 2026.