Topics: Formula 1, Motorsport
Aston Martin posted an embarrassing video on social media just minutes before Lance Stroll spun out during testing for the 2026 F1 season.
The 2026 Formula One season is now just weeks away, with all 22 drivers currently taking part in the final testing sessions in Bahrain.
With a host of new regulations introduced ahead of the season, testing this year has perhaps been more important than any other, with teams taking part in three different testing weeks this year.
So far in Bahrain, Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes appear to be the best performers, while Aston Martin are among the teams that have performed the worst so far.
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But now, things have gotten even worse for Aston Martin as Stroll caused a red flag in testing after spinning out just minutes after his team put out a social media post hyping up their driver.
Going into the 2026 season, Aston Martin had been tipped by many as dark horses to challenge for the title thanks to the appointment of F1 legend Adrian Newey.
Newey - who spent 19 years as a senior figure within Red Bull - joined Aston Martin in early 2025 in order to help build an impressive car for the upcoming 2026 season.
But so far in testing, Aston Martin has failed to impress, with Stroll spinning out during the session Wednesday February 18 just the latest blunder for the British team.
The Canadian driver beached his car as he entered Turn 11, as a piece on the back of the AMR26 appeared to break sending him spinning off the track.
Initially it was believed that the incident was caused by Stroll himself, but it has now been suggested that it was a more concerning issued with the car itself.
Perhaps the most embarrassing part of the incident was that it came less than 20 minutes after the Aston Martin X account shared a video showing off Stroll wearing their race gear for the 2026 season.
Following the spin, a recovery crane was brought onto the track to remove the Aston Martin car, with the red flag lasting for seven minutes.
It marked an end to Stroll's pre-season testing, with the 27-year-old only completed seven laps in the session after team-mate Fernando Alonso managed 28 in the morning - when he also spun off.
Overall, it's been a challenging pre-season for Aston Martin, with the team completing the fewest laps across last week's first Bahrain test, raising huge concerns ahead of the opening race in Melbourne on March 8.
