Fernando Alonso, the Aston Martin driver, is confident that the team, led by the legendary Adrian Newey, will eventually have the 'best car' in Formula 1. However, he acknowledges that they are currently 'on the back foot' in the initial stages of the 2026 season. Aston Martin has openly admitted their pace is slower compared to the leading teams, which they hope to challenge in the new era of F1 car and engine rules. Despite a late arrival at the Barcelona test and setting the slowest times at the Bahrain test, Alonso remains optimistic. He attributes this to the team's first Newey design and Honda engine, which they are still learning about. Alonso believes that with Newey's experience, they have a clear path to improvement. However, he also highlights that there are areas that need unlocking, particularly in the power unit and gearbox integration, which will dominate the lap time. Aston Martin is set to bring a significantly different car to the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, which Alonso is hopeful will be the turning point. His teammate, Lance Stroll, has indicated that Aston Martin is up to four and a half seconds off the leading pace. Despite the challenges, Alonso remains confident that the team will eventually have the best car, stating that it's a matter of time. The Bahrain test continues with the second test scheduled for February 18-20, with live coverage on Sky Sports F1.
