Former Formula 1 driver Pedro de la Rosa has praised Aston Martin for refusing to be demotivated during a challenging start to the 2026 season.
The Silverstone-based squad went from midfield contenders to backmarkers amid the sport's transition to radical new hybrid regulations. The AMR26 machine, according to team principal Adrian Newey, was late in its development compared to rivals. Additionally, Honda, returning to F1 after a hiatus, struggled mightily. Their power unit not only lacked performance but also caused severe vibrations, forcing both drivers to retire from races to avoid nerve damage.
However, neither the team nor Honda gave up. With upgrades to both car and engine, Aston Martin began showing signs of improvement, reaching Q2 in Hungary and scoring points with Fernando Alonso in the Netherlands.
In an exclusive interview with Motorsport Week, de la Rosa, now an Aston Martin ambassador, explained how knowing about upcoming improvements helped the team remain resilient. "I think it's credit to everyone in the team really that they kept their head down, working hard and having the faith and the confidence that we would turn it around," he said. "The people that work in this team realise our true potential."
He added, "When you're on the outside, you only see results. But inside the team, you see why you are where you are and what's coming, what the team is working on. So I think that the morale was still high is not the words, because it was a tough moment. But there was the strong confidence that we would come back strong and that we were doing the right things in the factory."
De la Rosa emphasised that having a great campus, great tools, and great talent made it easier for everyone to stay united. "If you're in a team where you don't see the investment is enough or things are not going in the right direction, you start feeling demotivated. But there was not one member of this team that felt demotivated any time through the first half of the season," he stated.
With unwavering spirit, Aston Martin proved they are not a team to give up easily. Their story serves as an example of how mental resilience and belief in the process can turn fortunes around on track.
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