According to Motorsport.com, Aston Martin recently utilized its second permitted filming day of the season at the Hungaroring following the Pirelli tire test, deploying third driver Jak Crawford to evaluate the AMR26 spec B equipped with a newly updated Honda power unit. While rival teams like Alpine and Audi focused on 2027 rubber development, the Silverstone-based squad dedicated its track time to examining the latest aerodynamic package and power unit components introduced by Adrian Newey.
Aston Martin Deploys Second Filming Day for AMR26 Spec B Evaluation
The decision to run a promotional filming day—capped at a strict 200-kilometer limit—mirrors strategies used earlier in the season by Scuderia Ferrari at Monza. According to Motorsport.com, teams increasingly leverage these commercial sessions to validate technical updates ahead of upcoming Grand Prix weekends rather than strictly capturing marketing footage. For Aston Martin, the session provided a vital opportunity to run the AMR26 spec B on track immediately after its race debut at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
During the Hungarian GP weekend, Fernando Alonso successfully advanced past the Q2 barrier in qualifying and crossed the finish line in fourteenth place, just behind teammate Lance Stroll. The upgraded car finished ahead of entries from Alpine, Haas, Williams, and Cadillac. However, the primary focus of the Wednesday track outing centered on evaluating hardware adjustments rather than outright lap times, which are inherently limited by the mandatory use of demo tires specified for filming days.
Honda Power Unit Updates and Vibration Fixes Tested at the Hungaroring
According to Motorsport.com, the core objective of the test was analyzing the Honda RA626H power unit utilizing two development tokens granted by the governing body. Shintaro Orihara, chief engineer of the F1 program at Honda Racing Corporation, worked alongside Aston Martin engineers to compare track data gathered over the race weekend against the updated machine.
Did you know? Filming days are strictly capped at 200 kilometers by sporting regulations, and teams must run demonstration tires provided exclusively by the official supplier, preventing full-scale performance benchmarking.
Initial indications from the Hungaroring running proved positive. According to Motorsport.com, the persistent vibrations that hindered Aston Martin at the start of the season were successfully mitigated. By implementing targeted adjustments permitted by the FIA across various vehicle components, engineers expect to unlock approximately forty horsepower ahead of the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, where the complete package will make its official Grand Prix debut.
What Comes Next for Aston Martin at Zandvoort
While the power gains demonstrated in Hungary are not yet deemed sufficient to challenge front-running operations like Mercedes and Red Bull Ford, they represent a concrete step forward. According to Motorsport.com, the refined power unit—which previously cleared bench testing phases at Sakura—should consistently push Alonso and Stroll into point-scoring contention once deployed in competitive race conditions at Zandvoort.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an F1 filming day?
According to governing body regulations, a filming day allows teams to run a current-spec car for promotional purposes up to a maximum distance of 200 kilometers using special demonstration tires.
Why did Aston Martin test at the Hungaroring?
According to Motorsport.com, Aston Martin stayed at the Hungaroring after the Pirelli test to run its second allotted filming day, focusing on validating the AMR26 spec B and testing updates to the Honda power unit.
Who drove the Aston Martin during the Hungaroring test?
According to Motorsport.com, American third driver Jak Crawford handled driving duties for the team during the Wednesday evaluation.
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