What happens if Aston Martin's big Hungary upgrade fails? Alonso and Newey face key questions

Aston Martin has endured a frustrating campaign so far, languishing well off the pace of their rivals and with only one fortunate point on the board, earned by Fernando Alonso in Monaco. Hungary represents a crucial opportunity to put Aston Martin back on track.

But what if it doesn't deliver? A successful upgrade could transform the team's season, but failure would raise serious questions over Aston Martin's 2026 plans, Fernando Alonso's future and whether Adrian Newey can turn the team into contenders.

Every team eventually reaches the point where continuing to develop the current car no longer makes sense. If Aston Martin's latest package fails to produce a meaningful step forward, the team could decide there is little value in investing further resources into a car that is running seconds off the pace off the frontrunners.

With Formula 1's cost cap forcing teams to carefully manage their spending, Aston Martin may instead choose to switch its full focus to next year's challenger, particularly if the performance gap to the front proves too large to close.

That would effectively make Hungary the final major development milestone of the current campaign, leaving the team to salvage any positive results they can get, which looks unlikely with their current car, while focusing on next season.

However, if Aston Martin struggle to improve with their B-spec, then it will raise questions of how competitive they can be in 2027.

Alonso has stated that F1 rules could dictate his future rather than Aston Martin's upgrades. However, if there is any doubt over whether he wants to stick or twist with the team, his patience is likely to run out if their upgrades don't offer him a car that he can compete with.

The Spaniard, who turns 45 during the summer break, could finally decide to call time on his Formula 1 career, one which started 25 years ago and delivered him two world championships and 32 race victories.

There have also been reports that Alpine could attempt to lure him back for what would be a fourth stint with the Enstone-based team. Alonso's close ties with Flavio Briatore means that it would not be surprising if he decided to finish his career at Alpine after a disappointing 2026.

Perhaps nobody would come under greater scrutiny than Adrian Newey. As one of the best designers in the sport's history, expectations were high upon his arrival, after helping Red Bull, McLaren and Williams to championships during his legendary career.

If the upgrades fail to make an impact, questions would inevitably be asked about how quickly Newey can influence the team's trajectory and whether his job could be at risk.

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner on the Red Flags podcast said Newey, or technical director Enrico Cardile could be sacked by Lawrence Stroll if results don't improve by the end of the season.

It would not diminish his remarkable reputation if Aston Martin's upgrades don't work but it would likely raise questions over whether he remains with the team going into 2027.

Instant results might not happen overnight, and Aston Martin Chief Trackside Officer Mike Krack has urged caution over expectations once the car receives its chassis and power unit upgrades. He added the priority is to get the upgraded package on track before making any assessment.