To say that the 2026 Formula 1 season has not gone well for Aston Martin is an understatement. With nearly unlimited funds thanks to billionaire boss Lawrence Stroll, a fantastic driver in Fernando Alonso, plus the greatest car designer in racing history Adrian Newey, many were expecting a championship-winning car for the green team. Instead the AMR26 is at the back of the pack. The worst car on the Formula 1 grid.
How could it go so wrong, and what can Aston Martin do to fix the problem with in-season testing banned in Formula 1? The images of this disguised car might be the answer. A TikTok video emerged this week allegedly showing Aston Martin testing a new car that looks like a Le Mans prototype mixed with a Formula 1.
It’s obviously a single-seater, with a large air-intake above the cockpit. Plus the F1-style Halo cockpit protection device is clearly visible. Extreme looking body work has been added, hypothetically to create aerodynamic downforce of F1 wings without actually showing the wings.
Is this an experimental prototype race car, or the Aston Martin team finding a way around Formula 1 rules to get their car back on track?
Neither
It’s the Batmobile!