Aston Martin has been handed an unwanted verdict by Formula 1 fans, with 52.7% of voters in a RacingNews365 poll judging it as the biggest surprise of the season so far.
The overwhelming response reflects the shock at just how far the Silverstone-based team has fallen this year, having been earmarked as a team to watch before running began.
Aston Martin entered the new power unit regulations with Adrian Newey’s arrival and a full works Honda partnership fuelling paddock optimism that the team could finally break through as a race-winning force.
Instead, the AMR26 has delivered a humiliating start. Three races in, the team sits 11th in the constructors’ championship with zero points after a litany of retirements and performance deficits.
The problems are twofold. Honda’s power unit is producing severe vibrations that damage the battery system and make the car extremely difficult to drive.
Newey explained the scale of the issue, stating the vibrations are "transmitted ultimately into the driver’s fingers," with the intensity so severe that Fernando Alonso had to stop driving in China.
Lance Stroll has yet to complete a full race distance, finishing 15 laps down in Australia before retiring in China and Japan. Alonso managed an 18th-place finish in Japan after retirements in the opening two rounds.
Pre-season testing offered a grim preview. Aston Martin completed just 2,100 km of running, more than 1,800 km behind the next-worst team, Cadillac, and were 3.982 seconds off the pace.
Red Bull’s surprise drop from front-running pace attracted 16.7% of the vote, while Mercedes’ three wins from three garnered just 10.5%, suggesting fans expected improvement from the Brackley squad.
Check out the full poll results below!
Which team has surprised you the most so far this season?
| Option | % |
|---|---|
| Mercedes - Three wins in three, it has exceeded expectations | 10.5 |
| McLaren - One podium, a disappointing start for the reigning champions | 10.5 |
| Red Bull - A surprise that it has slipped off the front-running pace | 16.7 |
| Williams - With so much focus on 2026, it’s a shock to see huge struggle | 9.6 |
| Aston Martin - A humiliating entry from the Adrian Newey-inspired car alongside Honda | 52.7 |
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