A major upgrade package gave Aston Martin a significant boost at the Hungarian Grand Prix, allowing Fernando Alonso to record his strongest Formula 1 qualifying result of 2026.

The latest Aston Martin upgrades appear to have delivered the breakthrough the team had been waiting for. At the Hungarian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso advanced beyond Q1 for the first time in a full-length qualifying session this season, marking his strongest Saturday performance of the 2026 Formula 1 campaign.

Moreover, the result suggests Aston Martin has finally taken a meaningful step forward after months of struggling near the back of the grid.

New AMR26 Package Shows Immediate Progress

Aston Martin introduced an extensive update package for the AMR26, featuring multiple aerodynamic and mechanical revisions.

As a result, the car showed a clear improvement in pace around the Hungaroring. After repeatedly missing Q2 by large margins throughout the season, Alonso successfully advanced into the second qualifying session.

Furthermore, the performance represented a dramatic turnaround compared to Spa-Francorchamps, where Aston Martin struggled to match its midfield rivals.

Aston Martin’s latest AMR26 upgrade package produced an immediate improvement in Hungary.

Alonso Outqualified Several Midfield Rivals

The upgraded car allowed Alonso to outperform several competitors during Q1.

He finished ahead of one Haas, both Williams drivers, his teammate Lance Stroll and both Cadillac entries. Consequently, Aston Martin secured its first appearance in Q2 during a standard qualifying session this season.

Although Alonso could not improve further in Q2, his final position still became his best qualifying result for a Grand Prix this year.

Fernando Alonso advanced to Q2 for the first time in a full qualifying session during 2026.

A Positive Sign Before Future Developments

The Hungarian Grand Prix may represent an important turning point for Aston Martin.

While the new Honda power unit is still scheduled to arrive later in the season, the current upgrade package has already made the team more competitive against its direct rivals. Meanwhile, both Fernando Alonso and Adrian Newey have expressed optimism about the direction of the project.

Therefore, Aston Martin hopes these improvements will provide a stronger foundation for the remainder of the 2026 season and future development.

Aston Martin expects its latest upgrades to provide a stronger platform for future development.

Aston Martin Upgrades Offer New Optimism

The Aston Martin upgrades delivered exactly what the team needed in Hungary: measurable progress on track.

Overall, Alonso’s best qualifying result of the season provides encouraging evidence that the AMR26 is moving in the right direction. If development continues at this pace, Aston Martin could become a regular contender in the midfield during the second half of the Formula 1 season.

Andretti has revealed a special Liberty Walk-inspired livery for the Tokyo E-Prix, blending Formula E technology with one of Japan’s most recognizable tuning brands.

The Andretti Liberty Walk collaboration is bringing a fresh look to the Formula E grid ahead of the Tokyo E-Prix. Andretti has unveiled a special silver-and-blue livery created with renowned Japanese tuner Liberty Walk, celebrating the race’s return to the streets of Japan’s capital.

Moreover, the one-off design pays tribute to Japan’s legendary car culture while highlighting one of Formula E’s biggest events of the season.

Liberty Walk Brings Its Signature Style to Formula E

Known worldwide for its bold widebody creations, Liberty Walk has partnered with Andretti to give both Gen3 Formula E race cars an eye-catching appearance for the Tokyo event.

Instead of the tuner’s more recent white-and-red color schemes, the special edition features a chrome silver and blue finish inspired by classic Japanese performance cars. As a result, the cars combine modern electric racing technology with styling cues that have become iconic among automotive enthusiasts.

Andretti’s Formula E cars receive a special Liberty Walk-inspired silver-and-blue livery for Tokyo.

A Tribute to Japanese Automotive Culture

Founded in the early 1990s, Liberty Walk has built a global reputation for transforming performance cars with aggressive widebody kits and unmistakable styling.

Furthermore, the Tokyo E-Prix livery reflects that heritage by adopting colors reminiscent of legendary Japanese sports cars from the late 1990s and early 2000s. The design celebrates the country’s rich tuning scene while giving Andretti one of the most distinctive liveries on the Formula E grid.

The special livery honors Japan’s iconic tuning culture through Liberty Walk’s unique design language.

Tokyo’s Street Circuit Promises a Tough Challenge

While the new livery will attract plenty of attention, the drivers will still face one of the season’s most demanding street circuits.

The Tokyo layout features 18 corners packed into just 1.6 miles, leaving little room for mistakes. Consequently, precision will be just as important as outright speed as drivers navigate the narrow course lined with unforgiving barriers.

Meanwhile, Andretti enters the weekend running near the top of the Formula E Teams’ Championship, hoping the special edition design will accompany a strong on-track performance.

Andretti will debut the Liberty Walk livery during the challenging Tokyo Formula E street race.

Andretti Liberty Walk Creates One of Formula E’s Most Unique Liveries

The Andretti Liberty Walk partnership perfectly blends motorsport with Japanese automotive culture.

Overall, the collaboration delivers one of the most memorable liveries of the Formula E season while showcasing Liberty Walk’s unmistakable design philosophy on an international racing stage. If Andretti can match the striking appearance with a strong result, the Tokyo E-Prix could become one of the team’s standout weekends of the year.

George Russell says Ferrari has emerged as the team to beat in Hungary, although Mercedes remains confident it can make significant progress before qualifying.

George Russell believes Ferrari has established itself as the benchmark at the Hungarian Grand Prix after a difficult opening day for Mercedes. Although the British driver admitted the W17 was not competitive enough on Friday, he remains optimistic that the team can unlock more performance before qualifying.

Furthermore, Russell explained that the Hungaroring is not the ideal circuit to determine whether Mercedes has fully solved the straight-line issue that affected the team in recent races.

Ferrari Sets the Early Pace

Friday’s practice sessions confirmed Mercedes’ biggest concern.

According to George Russell, Ferrari looked exceptionally strong throughout the day, particularly over a single lap. Meanwhile, Mercedes struggled to extract maximum performance, leaving Russell well behind the fastest times.

However, the British driver noted that the team’s long-run pace appeared more competitive. As a result, he believes Mercedes has a stronger foundation than the final standings suggest.

George Russell believes Ferrari has been the strongest team at the Hungaroring so far.

Mercedes Still Has Work to Do

Russell admitted the W17 was far from its ideal setup during Friday’s sessions.

Additionally, teammate Andrea Kimi Antonelli lost valuable track time after missing the opening practice session, making it even harder for Mercedes to evaluate its full potential.

Despite those challenges, Russell remains confident. He believes setup changes and evolving track conditions could significantly improve the car before qualifying.

Mercedes expects to improve its performance before Saturday’s qualifying session.

Hungary Doesn’t Reveal Mercedes’ Biggest Improvement

One of the main talking points heading into the weekend was whether Mercedes had solved the deployment issue that cost Russell valuable performance in Belgium.

However, the British driver explained that the Hungaroring is not the right circuit to measure that progress. Because the track features short straights and places less emphasis on top speed, any improvement would be far less noticeable than it was at Spa-Francorchamps.

Moreover, Russell said he trusted Mercedes’ engineers to resolve the problem and focused entirely on driving rather than monitoring the system during practice.

Russell says the Hungaroring is not the best circuit to evaluate Mercedes’ straight-line improvements.

George Russell Still Expects Mercedes to Fight Back

Although Ferrari currently appears to have the advantage, George Russell believes Mercedes can still become a contender this weekend.

Overall, the team expects setup improvements and changing weather conditions to help close the gap. If Mercedes can maximize the W17 overnight, Russell remains confident the team can fight much closer to the front during qualifying.