Key Highlights:
- Fernando Alonso closed the gap to session pacesetter Charles Leclerc to just 0.769s in FP2, outperforming early expectations at the high-altitude Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
- While Alonso reported a well-balanced car, Aston Martin faced setbacks on the other side of the garage with Jak Crawford stopping on track in FP1 and Lance Stroll playing catch-up during FP2.
- Aston Martin ambassador Pedro de la Rosa highlighted strong low-speed corner performance and praised power unit partner Honda for effectively mitigating turbo lag at high elevation.
Heading into the Mexico City Grand Prix, Aston Martin arrived with tempered expectations due to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez’s long straights and challenging altitude. However, the Silverstone-based outfit, along with power unit partner Honda, found tangible reasons for optimism following a surprisingly competitive opening day of practice. Fernando Alonso showed steady progress across both sessions, demonstrating that the AMR26 package is handling the thin air and complex cooling demands far better than anticipated.
Encouraging Pace Amid Mexico City’s Unique Altitude
Alonso opened his Friday running with a seventh-place finish in Free Practice 1, ending the session 1.229 seconds adrift of pacesetter Charles Leclerc. Although FP1 classifications were skewed by a heavy presence of rookie drivers across the grid and various interruptions, Alonso made substantial progress in Free Practice 2. Even though he placed 12th in the combined FP2 standings, his deficit to Leclerc dropped to just 0.769 seconds—a significant step forward for a team that faced multi-second deficits earlier in the campaign.
Analysis of Friday’s running ranked the AMR26 as the seventh-quickest car on the grid. However, the squad’s day was not entirely seamless. The sister car encountered significant disruptions when test driver Jak Crawford came to a halt out on track during FP1, leaving race driver Lance Stroll on the back foot as he attempted to recover lost setup time throughout FP2.
Alonso and De La Rosa Assess Friday Gains and Slow-Speed Strength
Reflecting on the promising lap times, Alonso admitted that the car had outpaced the team’s initial forecasts. “Probably yes,”
he said, when asked the question. “I was very open-minded coming to the weekend because Mexico is such a unique place with altitude and things, that I thought maybe we have a good surprise.
“At the moment at least on my side of the garage, the car is working well. I think Lance’s car has some issues that they need to check for tomorrow.
“But part of the normal challenges in Mexico, with altitude, turbo speed, temperature, brakes, all these kinds of things that are a little bit on the limit. Apart from that, there are no big concerns into tomorrow.”
When questioned about how the package handled the notoriously low aerodynamic grip at 2,200 meters above sea level, the two-time world champion remained unfazed: “No big difference, to be honest. We were all worrying about the lack of downforce this year compared to previous events, but I think the car feels very similar to the last few years here. So it was not an extra challenge, I would say.”
Team ambassador Pedro de la Rosa reinforced Alonso’s positive assessment, noting that the AMR26’s mechanical traits align well with Mexico City’s tight, technical layout. “It’s fair to say it’s slightly better than expected,”
he noted. “Especially because I think probably the fact that there’s a lot of low-speed component in this track, Sector 1, [Turns] 1, 2, 3, and 4, 5, 6 are very slow speed.
“Then you have the last sector, which is only mainly low-speed corners, second or first gear corners, which I think just makes us look a bit stronger. But anyway, it’s still a challenge. Mexico will always be a challenge on temperatures, on the engine, on the braking. So we just have to manage that as well.”
De la Rosa also pointed out that operating in thin air places a premium on driver adaptability, especially with varied track surfaces: “I think that from a physical point of view, there’s no issues. So you have a long straight to actually catch up. There’s not a lot of G forces. Also, the downforce you generate is quite low, because of the air density.
“But I think the fact that you are driving a car with very little downforce makes experienced drivers adapt faster. Also the fact that we have now two different sectors regarding asphalt means the drivers have to adapt a bit. You can push more on the last sector because there’s more grip than on the first sector, which is the old asphalt.”
Honda Draws Praise for High-Altitude Power Delivery
A critical technical hurdle in Mexico City is the reduced air density, which forces turbochargers to spin faster to generate baseline boost levels, often causing severe turbo lag and cooling bottlenecks. De la Rosa credited Honda for their preparation, pointing out that power unit drivability was an asset from the opening lap.
“On the turbo lag, we haven’t had many complaints from the drivers, which is positive,”
he said. “So I think that Honda has done a very job on the turbo lag, and minimising that effect.
“It’s always an underlying factor, especially in a circuit like this at 2,200 metres. But it is mostly that we will have to manage engine cooling, brake cooling at a place like this. I think it’s an overriding factor, rather than the turbo lag.”
Why This Matters
Mexico City’s unique elevation of over 2,200 meters above sea level routinely disrupts the conventional Formula 1 performance order by neutralizing aerodynamic efficiency and pushing engine and brake cooling systems to their absolute tolerances. For Aston Martin, producing competitive sector times on a circuit featuring one of the longest straights on the calendar indicates meaningful progress in aerodynamic balance and low-speed mechanical grip. Furthermore, the strong engine integration demonstrated by Honda provides critical validation for the partnership as the team seeks consistent top-ten qualifying form heading into the final stages of the championship.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Fernando Alonso perform during Friday practice in Mexico?
Fernando Alonso finished P7 in Free Practice 1, trailing session leader Charles Leclerc by 1.229 seconds. In Free Practice 2, although he ended up 12th in the overall classification, he lowered the time gap to the leader down to 0.769 seconds.
What issues did Lance Stroll and Jak Crawford face on Friday?
Jak Crawford stopped on track during Free Practice 1 due to a car problem, which restricted track time. As a result of the stoppage and lingering issues that required overnight checks, Lance Stroll had to spend FP2 playing catch-up on car setup.
Why was Honda’s engine performance a focal point in Mexico City?
At 2,200 meters of elevation, reduced oxygen and low air density frequently cause turbo lag and severe engine overheating. Honda earned praise from Pedro de la Rosa for effectively minimizing turbo lag, leaving cooling management as the main focus heading into the race weekend.
