How Aston Martin rushed the AMR26 to Barcelona on a 50-year-old Antonov plane

It didn’t take long for the AMR26 to capture the curiosity of fans and insiders alike when it finally took to the track at Formula 1’s Barcelona shakedown yesterday. The three laps it completed late in the day were enough for it to be immortalised in its first photos, which were immediately scrutinised by the most attentive observers. However, the story of how it finally made it to the test deserves some attention of its own.

The amusing behind-the-scenes anecdote dominated the paddock in Montmelo yesterday afternoon, as it saw the pinnacle of Aston’s engineering turn to some 50-year-old kit to make it to the track on time.

At the Silverstone factory, Aston Martin’s engineers worked overtime (including overnight shifts) to ensure the car arrived in Barcelona in time to complete at least one day of testing.

The green light was given by the team in the early hours of yesterday morning, which meant Aston’s logistics staff had to quickly organise transport between the nearest international airport, Birmingham, and the Spanish airport of Girona – the most convenient for reaching the circuit quickly.

There was, however, one not-so-minor detail: finding an aircraft capable of carrying the large crate containing the brand new 2026 F1 car. The first available slot was offered by Cavok Air, a Ukrainian cargo airline that had just the aircraft for the job: A 1972 Antonov An-12BP. Yes, a four-engine turboprop built more than half a century ago.

The veteran of the skies thus loaded the “jewel” designed by Adrian Newey and completed the mission without the slightest issue. The flight reportedly took around three hours and saw the AMR26 arrive in Spain on Thursday.

In the paddock, of course, jokes were inevitable: a museum piece tasked with transporting one of the most advanced projects in modern Formula 1. “But did Newey know about this?” some insiders quipped.

In the end, however, it certainly wasn’t the glorious Antonov, with its fifty-four years of service, that caused any delays in Aston Martin’s schedule, and it’s arrival in Spain was met by fans who captured the moment and posted photos on social media. Sometimes, maybe the old ways are the best.