Formula 1 will see a completely new ruleset introduced for the 2026 season as both the chassis and engine regulations undergo an overhaul.
It will be a complete reset for the teams and some are taking up the opportunity to put themselves in the best possible position to challenge for titles, including Aston Martin owner Lawrence Stroll.
Since taking over from Force India in 2018, Stroll has poured millions into Aston Martin in a bid to turn them into a race-winning team. They came close at the 2021 Hungarian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix with Sebastian Vettel, while Fernando Alonso also brought them close to victory in 2023 along with eight podiums.
Now Stroll is focused on maximising their chances in 2026, with a new wind tunnel facility and the signing of key backroom staff including Adrian Newey and former Mercedes engines boss Andy Cowell.
It puts Aston Martin in a prime position to challenge for titles, with Karun Chandhok saying he would love to see it when discussing their chances on the Evo India podcast.
Karun Chandhok would love to see Fernando Alonso win another championship
Alonso has not won a title since the 2006 season with Renault, despite coming close with Ferrari in 2010 and 2012.
aWith Newey already stating that Alonso is one of the drivers he always wanted to work alongside, Chandhok thinks it would be a great story if the pair were successful at Aston Martin.
“There is opportunity in 2026 if he [Newey] can spend 2025 creating the structure and building the team up with the new rules in 2026,” said Chandhok.
“Wouldn’t it be amazing if you saw, what will he be 44, 45 years old? Fernando Alonso winning a championship in an Adrian Newey car. What a story that will be.”
Aston Martin faces ‘collision course’ over key 2026 driver decision
Aston Martin endured a difficult season in 2024 after both Alonso and Lance Stroll struggled to finish inside the points regularly.
Part of that was down to their car upgrades which failed to yield the performance they were expecting on track, but it was also down to Stroll’s efforts on track.
READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage
Fans are convinced that Aston Martin should let Stroll go if they want to be serious about challenging for titles, given he only scored 24 points compared to Alonso’s 70 points last year.
Aston Martin has been told that its management could be on a ‘collision course’ with owner Stroll over the decision, if his son fails to improve his performances on track.
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