Aston Martin Announces F1 Safety Departure Ahead Of 2026 Season

Aston Martin has endured brief periods of success since its rebrand in 2021, but has struggled over the past four seasons to break into the upper echelons of the Constructors' Championship.

McLaren won the Constructors' title in 2025, while Aston Martin could only muster 89 points over 24 races, ending up seventh out of 10 teams after the final race in Abu Dhabi.

But some unexpected news means that the F1 grid will have a significant departure next season, with a familiar vehicle not present for any race on the 2026 calendar.

Aston Martin will stop involvement as F1 safety car supplier

Aston Martin are well-known for their dark-green color scheme on both the F1 car and the safety car. | Red Bull Content Pool

Since 2021, both Mercedes and Aston Martin - who each have a team on the Formula One grid - have supplied the sport with its safety cars for when a stoppage in the Grand Prix is needed.

A report from The Race has confirmed that Aston Martin's time as a safety car supplier has come under heavy scrutiny over the past four seasons.

Drivers have commented on the difference between the Aston Martin Vantage's speed when compared to the Mercedes AMG, with Mercedes driver George Russell stating in 2022 that "we don't have the issue with the Mercedes-AMG safety car [in terms of speed]."

"We don't have the issue with the Mercedes-AMG safety car! On a serious note the Mercedes-AMG is like five seconds a lap quicker [compared to the Aston Martin alternative], which is pretty substantial.”
Russell after the 2022 Australian GP

Max Verstappen was more of a fan of Mercedes' safety car - a team he has been linked with joining throughout his time in F1. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

In the same race, Max Verstappen of Red Bull also iterated that "the way we [drivers are] following the safety car right now is terrible," and again clarified that the Mercedes was much better to be behind.

Aston Martin upgraded its Vantage F1 edition to the Vantage S at the Dutch Grand Prix last year, meaning that the car had gone from 506 brake horsepower all the way up to 670 bhp, much closer to what the Mercedes safety car model offered.

The reason for the legendary British manufacturer dropping out of the role is unknown, but a factor to consider is the financial logistics of the deal.

The report also notes that, in addition to Aston Martin ending its supply of safety cars, the team's well-known winged logo will not be present on F1's medical cars, as Mercedes will step up to be the sole supplier in that regard as well.

The Vantage line of cars' stylishness is a point of pride for the team, with one X user simply commenting 'Need.' on an Aston Martin post displaying the Vantage S model, making it a sad day for super fans of the Silverstone outfit.

Need.
— Aquila (@jhay_aq) August 30, 2025

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