Aston Martin has seen significant improvements in its car's performance following major upgrades, but the team's Honda engine remains a point of concern. A "spec two" Honda engine introduced recently has shown less impressive results than hoped, contributing to the team's struggles on power-sensitive tracks like Monza.
Despite these engine issues, Aston Martin's chassis upgrades, introduced two races prior in Hungary, have been effective. The updated car, largely redesigned except for the rear suspension and gearbox, has reportedly cut lap times by approximately two seconds. This has translated into improved on-track performance, with Fernando Alonso reaching the second qualifying session for the first time this season in Hungary and securing ninth place in the Netherlands. Further upgrades, including a potential weight reduction around the gearbox, are anticipated for upcoming races.
The new Madrid circuit, making its debut this weekend, is expected to have low power sensitivity, comparable to Zandvoort. The track features numerous medium-speed corners and is anticipated to make overtaking difficult, similar to circuits in Hungary and the Netherlands. Given Lando Norris's dominant victories at those tracks, some teams, including McLaren, are considered potential favorites. However, McLaren's team principal, Andrea Stella, has voiced a more reserved outlook.
Stella noted that tracks with short, precise corners, such as Baku and Madrid, may not play to McLaren's strengths, unlike the longer, more sweeping corners found at Zandvoort and Hungary where the car has excelled. "We still think that tracks like Baku and Madrid, where you have to be very precise with the trajectory, short corners, maybe they don't play to the best of our car," Stella stated. "Yet, we have to say that in Zandvoort and Hungary we were in position to win races and here, while we were not, we know that it's a special race."
He added that drag is expected to be less of a factor in Madrid due to the higher density of corners. "There is a much higher density of corners. We will definitely give it a go," he said. New circuits often present unforeseen challenges, and definitive performance assessments are not expected until qualifying. The true capabilities of each team and car on the new Madrid layout remain to be seen.