Aston Martin’s struggles in 2026 have shifted the spotlight onto its leadership structure, but one pundit believes the focus on who should be team principal is masking far bigger technical issues. The team’s current car is being described as one of the worst flops in modern Formula 1 history, and simply changing the person in charge will not fix it.
The AMR26 has been well off the pace since the season began. The chassis is not competitive with its rivals, and problems with the Honda power unit have made things worse. Vibrations from the engine are severe enough to increase the risk of battery damage and limit the amount of mileage drivers can complete. The issue is not just about lap time; it is also about driver comfort and reliability. On several occasions, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll have complained about how physical the car is to drive over a race distance.
Adrian Newey took over as team principal ahead of the 2026 campaign. His appointment raised eyebrows at the time. Newey is widely regarded as the greatest designer in Formula 1 history, but he has built that reputation on technical brilliance, not man-management or political leadership. The move into a full team principal role put him in front of the media and in charge of the entire sporting operation, a very different challenge from leading an aero department.
At the season opener in Melbourne, Newey faced the world’s press with few answers to offer. The car was uncompetitive, the problems were clear, and the team had no quick fixes. Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner said on the Drive to Wynn podcast that Newey might already be regretting the promotion. Steiner argued that the team principal role does not play to Newey’s strengths and that the pressure of running the whole team could be a distraction from what he does best.
Speculation about Aston Martin’s leadership has only grown since Jonathan Wheatley confirmed he would leave his role as Audi team principal. The 58-year-old was immediately linked with a senior position at Aston Martin, potentially as a support figure to Newey. The idea would be to let Wheatley handle day-to-day sporting and political duties while Newey focused on technical direction. Nothing has been confirmed, but the rumor shows how much attention is being paid to the team’s management chart.
Yet Karun Chandhok believes that conversation is missing the point. Speaking on the Sky Sports F1 Show, Chandhok said Aston Martin’s problems run much deeper than who sits in the team principal’s chair.
“Honestly though, Aston, they’ve got bigger problems than the team principal isn’t it?” Chandhok said. “You know, they’ve been just… I mean, disappointing is not even the word, is it? It’s just been embarrassing how far off the pace that whole package has been due to the issues from the Honda side.”
“So I think the team principal is the least of their issues. They need somebody to resolve the technical issue and I don’t think Jonathan’s necessarily the person for that. They need engine people sitting in Sakura to try and dig them out of this hole.”
Chandhok’s comments point directly at the Honda power unit. The Japanese manufacturer returned as a full works supplier with Aston Martin for 2026, but the integration has been troubled from the start. The vibrations affecting the chassis are linked to the way the power unit is mounted and how it delivers energy. That is not something a team principal, whether it is Newey, Wheatley, or anyone else, can solve with leadership changes. It requires engineering fixes from Honda’s base in Sakura and from Aston Martin’s technical team at Silverstone.
The situation is damaging for a team that had bold ambitions. After finishing fifth in the constructors’ championship in 2023 and 2024, owner Lawrence Stroll invested heavily to push Aston Martin into title contention. The new factory, wind tunnel, and high-profile hires like Newey were all part of that plan. Instead, 2026 has seen the team slip to the back of the midfield, sometimes struggling to escape Q1.
For Newey, the challenge is twofold. He must try to lead the team out of a crisis while also contributing to the technical recovery. At 67, and with a career defined by drawing boards and wind tunnels, the demands of being the public face of a struggling team are new. Even if Wheatley arrives to share the load, the core problem remains: the car and power unit package is not competitive.
The driver situation adds to the pressure. Fernando Alonso is 44 and in the final stage of his career. He did not sign up to fight at the back. Lance Stroll’s seat is secure due to ownership, but questions are already being asked about the team’s ability to attract top talent if results do not improve quickly.
What Aston Martin needs, according to Chandhok, is not another manager. It needs technical answers. That means Honda engineers finding a way to reduce the vibrations and protect the battery, while Aston Martin’s aero and chassis groups deliver a major step in downforce and drivability. Without those fixes, the team principal debate is irrelevant.
The next few races will be telling. If upgrades arrive and the gap closes, Newey’s leadership will look like a bold call that worked. If the car remains “embarrassing,” as Chandhok put it, then the pressure on everyone at Silverstone will only increase. For now, the message from the paddock is clear: stop worrying about who is in charge, and start fixing the car.
