Aston Martin finished the 2025 Miami Grand Prix as the slowest team on the grid as it struggles to arrest its decline under Formula 1’s current technical regulations, but a new year brings new optimism and hopes of a stunning driver lineup.
Fernando Alonso had a crash and a spin at the same corner in the sprint and grand prix, while Lance Stroll was unable to find competitive speed to add to his points haul this term.
Both drivers finished at the back of the finishing pack at the Miami International Autodrome as two-time Alonso remained scoreless for the season, a stark difference to the Silverstone-based outfit’s fortunes at the start of the regulatory period when it was Red Bull and Max Verstappen‘s closest competitor.
So what does the future hold for the team into 2026’s new ruleset and who should Aston Martin executives be looking at adding to its driver lineup?
New arrivals to give chance in 2026?
Regardless of what is happening with the AMR25 this term, next season presents a fantastic opportunity for Aston Martin to get back to the front of the midfield at least and even challenge for podiums.
It welcomes Honda as a power unit partner, essentially becoming a works team and allowing engineers to design a cohesive aerodynamic profile from front to back. As a Mercedes customer, the rear suspension and gearbox have also been taken from the Silver Arrows, limiting what Aston Martin has been able to do with its own car design.
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Honda has been at the front of engine performance this decade alongside Mercedes so it would be fair to presume that the Japanese manufacturer would be able to present Aston Martin with a capable power unit next season – though reports suggest that it’s the German brand that has developed the best of the bunch.
Added to that the fact that Adrian Newey joined this year to assist the production of the 2026 car and you have two of the key components in Red Bull’s dominance from 2022 to mid-2024 under Aston Martin‘s umbrella – which could be enough to entice further talent to the team.
Verstappen rumours to become reality?
One suitor would be Verstappen, whose place at Red Bull continuously comes under scrutiny given the issues facing the Milton Keynes-based ouftit.
Power struggles and car performance issues have led to those rumours and while the four-time world champion is contracted with Red Bull through to the end of 2028, usually there is no smoke without even a hint of fire.
There aren’t many teams on the grid with the financial firepower to attract Verstappen‘s services but Lawrence Stroll‘s outfit certainly does and, with the Newey and Honda draws an obvious advantage over other potential suitors.
Yes, there would be the likely bedding-in period and there’s always a risk at the start of a new regulatory period that a poor start could set a team back years. The flip side to that is that McLaren started off poorly under the current ruleset and is now the benchmark.
With Alonso ageing and struggling for points and Stroll unable to build towards star power, perhaps the Aston Martin hierarchy should be looking to add Verstappen to its driver lineup.
Aston Martin should look at IndyCar star
While the Dutchman would likely take Alonso’s place given Stroll’s family links, the Canadian will only have a finite time in F1 and if Aston Martin is serious about challenging for titles, there is another driver the team should pursue.
Or rather, Honda should be pulling the strings to facilitate the arrival into F1 of current IndyCar superstar Alex Palou. The Spaniard is doing in America what Verstappen has been doing in F1 for the past four years, utterly dominant at the front of the field for Chip Ganassi.
That outfit is handily powered by Honda engines, so the Japanese manufacturer could be in a position to put deals together between Aston Martin and CGR.
A sticking point could be CGR’s willingness to keep Palou – given his Oscar Piastri-like contract saga with McLaren a couple of years ago.
Palou has been open to an F1 drive in the past and his partnership with McLaren in 2022 saw him drive in FP1 for the Woking-based team. But afterwards, he conceded his pursuit of making it to the grid “didn’t really work out”.
There’s always an avenue though and given there is an obvious link to Aston Martin through Honda, it could me more plausible than any other route.
Wouldn’t a Verstappen-Palou line-up with Newey and Honda be a stunning offensive from Aston Martin?
