Aston Martin F1 Team Benches Alonso for Spa as Rookie Crawford Takes Wheel

Aston Martin will sit out Fernando Alonso for Friday’s first practice session at Spa-Francorchamps, deploying 21-year-old American rookie Jak Crawford instead. The move complies with F1’s mandatory rookie driver rules, which require teams to run young drivers in multiple sessions per season. Crawford, making his third FP1 appearance in 2026, will pilot the AMR26 at 13:30 CET. The decision underscores Aston Martin’s dire season: the team expects Spa to be its worst circuit of the year, and Lance Stroll warned the car could be “ruthlessly outclassed” on the high-speed Belgian track.

Why Alonso sits out at Spa

F1 regulations mandate that every team field a rookie driver in multiple free practice sessions annually. Crawford, who has never started a Grand Prix, meets the FIA’s criteria. He has already completed FP1 runs in Japan and Austria this season, plus multiple test sessions in the AMR26. Aston Martin is using the Spa weekend to fulfill its rookie obligation while the car remains uncompetitive.

Spa is Aston Martin’s worst-case scenario

Spa demands raw speed on straights and high-speed corners, exactly where the upgrade-less AMR26 hemorrhages time. Lance Stroll told reporters: “We know Spa will be very difficult and probably our worst track of the year.” The team currently trails the new Cadillac entry by roughly 1.4 seconds in race pace. Without the pending upgrade, Aston Martin faces a bleak weekend in Belgium.

The 2-second upgrade arrives in Hungary

Adrian Newey’s team is preparing a major mid-season package for the Hungarian Grand Prix. According to simulator data leaked from Silverstone, the AMR26 2.0 could yield a 2-second lap time improvement. The new chassis will be lighter, feature a revised rear suspension, a new nose, and other aerodynamic parts developed in-house. Even partial gains would erase Aston Martin’s deficit to Cadillac and position Alonso and Stroll in the midfield fight.

Alonso’s frustration mounts

The Spanish driver has repeatedly criticized F1’s 2026 regulations and the team’s slow development cycle. Aston Martin announced the driver swap on July 14, just hours before the Spa weekend begins. Alonso has hinted that 2026 may be his final season if the car does not improve. The team’s decision to hold back major upgrades until Hungary suggests management believes the current car cannot compete anywhere.

Final Thoughts

Aston Martin’s benching of Alonso for Spa reflects a team in crisis: the AMR26 is uncompetitive, and the only hope lies in Hungary’s upgrade package. If simulator gains translate to track performance, the midfield could shift dramatically. Until then, expect more painful weekends.

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