Newey's Aston steering concept slammed as 'failed design'
Aston Martin's radical 2026 car concept has been sharply criticised, with one expert in Japan calling a key design element an "unthinkable mistake".
Analysis published by the magazine version of as-web.jp questions the team's aggressive front suspension and steering layout, developed amid the arrival of Adrian Newey.
"When we started analysing the link layout, we found ourselves asking, 'How does this even work?'" the media report said.
The verdict is notable amid suggestions Aston Martin's struggles are most directly linked to its Honda power unit, with the focus of the latest analysis pointing at the chassis concept.
The criticism centres on the positioning of the steering rack and tie rods.
"The operating efficiency is astonishingly poor - mechanically speaking, it is absurd," the analysis continued, adding: "I cannot imagine it functioning accurately."
It also pointed to onboard footage.
"There were situations where the driver's hands were making fine movements, but those movements were not appearing at the wheels."
Veteran commentator Takenori Sumikaku was even more direct.
"As a suspension designer, this is an 'unthinkable mistake'. It is a failed design," he said.
"When you consider the operation of the steering, it can be stated outright that this is a defect from a mechanical standpoint."
Read more: F1's upcoming meeting to 'fix' 2026 F1 regulations: tension builds.
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It's actually very balanced and precise but is counter-intuitive in that you have to steer left in order to go right etc.
The driver can tend to forget this while attending battery management.
Must have been designed on April 1st.