00:02X IndyCar driver turned F1 pundit James Hinchcliffe says Aston Martin's fall from grace this year
00:09makes for awkward viewing given the enormous investment it's made in both people and
00:14infrastructure. Aston Martin was expected to make a serious step change in 2026 after two
00:21seasons spent struggling with a Honda Works power unit deal and a new factory full of top technical
00:30minds. But the squad arrived in Australia around four seconds off the pace due to a four-month
00:36production delay blamed on Adrian Newey's late arrival and Honda's R&D rebuild. Hinchcliffe though
00:43told the sports official podcast F1 Nation that it feels like the worst case scenario.
00:51It's tough to watch because again that's a team that came in with a lot of hope a lot of
00:55expectation
00:56based on all the investment in the facilities, based on the Honda relationship, based on Adrian
01:00Newey being there and so far they've come up short in I think every conceivable metric.
01:10F1 looks set for no races in April with the sport on the cusp of cancelling or postponing the Bahrain
01:17and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to escalating conflict in the Middle East between the USA,
01:23Israel and Iran. F1's governing body, the FIA, has already postponed the World Endurance Championship's
01:31Qatar season opener that was originally slated to be held on March 26 to 28.
01:40Should Bahrain and Saudi Arabia be dropped, it will create an almost five-week gap between Japan
01:45and America's first round in Miami. Logistical and cost implications may mean they are not replaced.
01:57Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Travis Ault says the $80 million budget blowout for the race's
02:04new pit building due to asbestos contamination at the site is out of his hands.
02:13Melbourne will begin construction on its new pit building imminently,
02:16with the process expected to be completed ahead of the 2028 race.
02:23The new building will feature 14 garages, race control and administration, and a media centre.
02:29For other sports held there throughout the year,
02:32it'll also have more indoor sports courts and better club rooms.
02:38But the project could be scaled back following early works done last year,
02:43where asbestos was discovered, pushing out the total cost to $276 million US dollars.
02:50Though Ault played his cards close to his chest.
02:56Yeah, so we've got the privilege of a new project of a brand new pit building paddock club,
03:03which will start at the conclusion of this race and be completed by 2028.
03:08At the early part of that program, they worked out there's some contaminated soil.
03:13That's not completely unusual in building projects.
03:16That was dealt with appropriately.
03:18In terms of the program and the cost, that's something for Development Victoria.
03:21They're leading the project.
03:22They're best placed to take you through the implications of that.
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