From FP2 onwards in Austria, Fernando Alonso ran an obviously different looking version of the team’s 2015 car, almost a B-spec version.
The changes - including the short nose shown above - were part of a major aero update which will be completed at the next round at Silverstone, with a totally new front wing, new sidepods with vertical vanes, new mirrors and a lighter chassis. The change of chassis meant a few procedural headaches for crash testing, as rules state that new components must be tested on the chassis that will be used on track. Eventually in Spielberg, though, Alonso was able to run his car, which also differed from Button’s (below) in its floor, diffuser and rear wing. The nose is a mix of Williams’ and Red Bull’s designs, and allows better airflow to the rear of the car.

Next Up
Related Articles
ExclusiveWhy Bottas believes his best years are still to come
UnlockedHow an unraced Newey McLaren compares to Aston Martin’s car
The hidden team of experts behind every F1 star
UnlockedQUIZ: Test your knowledge on the 2026 season so far
Long-time Aston Martin engineer set to leave team
ExclusiveLawson examines factors behind his impressive 2026 so far
