Aston Martin spotted testing 'super-illegal' car during F1 break

Photo: © IMAGO

Aston Martin

Aston Martin spotted testing 'super-illegal' car during F1 break

Aston Martin were spotted at the Silverstone track testing an unusual looking car

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 10 April 2026 16:57

The five-week hiatus from the 2026 F1 season has got us all going a little crazy. But it's hit Aston Martin more than most, it seems, with the team testing out a car that looks like it should be starring in the upcoming The Batman 2 movie.

F1 is taking an unplanned spring break in its schedule following the cancellations of the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain Grands Prix due to the war in the Middle East.

It means that there is no race until the beginning of May, while the last race was at the end of March in Japan.

Article continues under video

Aston Martin managed to finish that grand prix with one of their cars, the first time either Fernando Alonso or Lance Stroll have been able to finish a grand prix as the team struggle with reliability issues.

And while the F1 team are likely hard at work during this five-week break to try and fix the problems with their AMR26 and the Honda power unit, Aston Martin have also been spotted testing their Valkyrie hypercar.

But the Valkyrie - which was designed by Adrian Newey - looked a little different, with its entire central section having been ripped out and converted into a single seater, with large parts of the car having been stuck together with tape.

The unusual looking machine grabbed the attention of social media users, with one user commenting: "Isn't that a Valkyrie but without the roof? Either way, a super-illegal development car that rocks."

Another user quipped: "I think that’s a heavily disguised Aston Martin F1 car in a bid to try fix their vibration issues without seemingly falling foul of the testing restrictions."

One Aston Martin fan asked whether Newey should be checked in on, saying: "Has anyone seen Newey recently? It could be time for a wellness check," while another said: "Imagine if that monstrosity is the next F1 car regulations."

Will Aston Martin return from the break stronger?

Not only are Aston Martin struggling with reliability issues, but their Honda power unit is also not giving them the power to be fast compared to their rivals either.

Even when they have managed to complete a session, they have looked to be one of the slowest teams on the grid thanks to that Honda power unit, although Newey's AMR26 car design is not entirely blameless either.

Aston Martin were outqualified by even new team Cadillac at the Japanese Grand Prix, and appear to be a long way from being able to compete for points.

But this break could help them. Newey will be looking to develop upgrades to his AMR26 design which could be brought to future races, while Honda will be troubleshooting and trying to get to the bottom of what is causing such intense vibrations in the cars for Stroll and Alonso.

On top of this, the first Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) period is fast approaching, with the FIA having brought that rule in at the start of the season to act as a safety net for struggling power unit manufacturers.

It means that upgrades can be brought to the new power units at three different stages of the F1 season, after races six, 12 and 18. The first of those periods takes place following the Monaco Grand Prix in June.

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen triggers 2026 cancellations as McLaren secure Red Bull star

F1 Aston Martin