Adrian Newey says Aston Martin will need major upgrades for the Hungarian Grand Prix

Newey said the success of the chassis upgrade could be key to chief driver Fernando Alonso’s decision on his future.

The two-time champion turns 45 in July and is out of contract at the end of the season. he said He is committed to a future with Aston Martin But has not decided whether to leave F1 and race elsewhere.

Newey said the update was “very important” for Alonso.

“Fernando is really looking forward to the upgrade and if it performs we expect him to be in the cockpit for another season,” Newey said.

“His experience, his feel for the car, his ability to guide development, he’s a tremendous asset. But he wants to see clear, real progress. If we can show we’re moving in the right direction, he’s absolutely committed to being behind the wheel.”

But Newey declined to give an estimate for the performance steps he expects from the upgrade.

So far this season, Aston Martin is 3.4 seconds slower on average, and even a two-second improvement would only take them midfield and still leave them behind Alpine and Racing Bulls, the two fastest cars outside the big four.

“We’re predicting a big move,” Newey said, “but I’m reluctant to put specific numbers there because our simulation tools aren’t yet as sophisticated or well-correlated as they need to be.

“Historically, in this group, there has not been enough investment in engineering simulation tools – not just the project management system, but the core physics tools themselves.

“We’re putting that investment in now, but you don’t rewrite and validate those tools overnight. It takes time to properly relate them to the real car.

“Right now, they’re making progress, but the real benefits from that work will come later in the year.”

This is an indirect reference to the fact that over the past few seasons Aston Martin has initiated developments hoping for improvements but they have not materialized on the track.

Aston Martin’s new tools and methods and this will be the first time a major upgrade will be tested under Newey’s leadership.

A development of the Honda engine, which is the least powerful on the grid and said by insiders to be 50kW (67bhp) short of the best, is also expected this summer.

However, the company did not say in which race it will be launched.