Aston Martin has admitted they are "not at the level" of other Formula 1 teams after a disastrous pre-season testing campaign. Lance Stroll completed just 36 laps on day one due to a power unit issue, while the team acknowledged being four seconds off the pace. Problems began when their wind-tunnel program for the 2026 car started four months late, causing a knock-on effect that limited track time.

The disappointing start is especially surprising given high expectations for the Silverstone outfit. They secured Adrian Newey to design their 2026 car, became a Honda works team, and attracted significant investment from owner Lawrence Stroll. George Russell previously believed Aston could challenge the "big four" of McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, and Ferrari.

Team ambassador Pedro de la Rosa confirmed problems exist across the entire package, not isolated components. "We are clearly behind," he stated. While the team recognizes they need time to address multiple performance areas, they remain confident in their resources and personnel to eventually turn their situation around despite the current setbacks.