Alonso says Aston Martin’s Friday form in Mexico exceeded his expectations

Fernando Alonso said Aston Martin’s performance in Friday practice in Mexico City had so far exceeded his expectations. Mexico City’s long straights had made it an unlikely strong venue for the team, yet the AMR26 was benchmarked as the seventh-fastest car overall.

Alonso finished seventh in FP1, although that position was not necessarily representative given the rookies in the field and problems for other drivers. He was 12th in FP2, but his gap to Charles Leclerc narrowed from 1.229 seconds in the first session to 0.769 seconds in the second.

Alonso said he had arrived open-minded because Mexico’s altitude and other unusual conditions made the venue unique, and thought Aston Martin might deliver a welcome surprise. The team’s Pedro de la Rosa said the track’s many slow corners helped the car look stronger; he also said engine and brake cooling were more important to manage than turbo lag.

Alonso said the car on his side of the garage was working well and that he had no major concerns for Saturday. Stroll’s car, he added, had issues that needed checking before Saturday.