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ABP Live F1 Pit Stop: The dawn of the 2026 Formula 1 season has officially arrived, and with it, the first physical evidence of Adrian Newey’s influence at Aston Martin.

As the grid gathered at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the initial winter test, all eyes gravitated toward the Silverstone-based team’s garage.

After completing his gardening leave from Red Bull, the legendary designer has delivered a car that George Russell describes as the most "standout" interpretation of the new technical regulations.

The Newey Effect

The team utilized Thursday and Friday to put the new machine through its paces, with Fernando Alonso handling a significant portion of the mileage.

While performance data remains closely guarded, the physical geometry of the car has already sent ripples through the paddock. Russell, speaking to a media contingent, noted that the design choices made by the Newey-led technical team were impossible to ignore.

Suspension Innovation

The focal point of the discussion remains the rear of the car. Russell highlighted that the mechanical and aerodynamic packaging around the rear suspension appears significantly more advanced than that of its rivals.

"I think everybody was looking at that rear suspension, and it obviously visually looks very impressive," Russell remarked, acknowledging the complexity of the Aston Martin’s new rear suspension.

Speed Over Aesthetics

Despite the visual flair, Russell maintained a grounded perspective on the competitive order. He emphasized that the "sexiness" of a design is secondary to the stopwatch.

"It's not a competition of how sexy it is. It's a competition of how fast it goes around the track," the Mercedes driver added.

He suggested that the true hierarchy will only be revealed when the field arrives in Melbourne for the season opener.

The paddock now shifts to Bahrain for the first open test, running from February 11 to 13, where the visual "wow factor" of the Aston Martin will be measured against raw lap times.