Alonso faces technical issues in Mexico

Fernando Alonso, a two-time world champion, faced frustration after a technical failure affected his performance during qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix. His Aston Martin suffered a loss of water pressure in the energy recovery system, leading to an early exit from the session and a 18th-place finish.

Challenges in the 2026 season

Alonso, 45, is having a tough 2026 season, plagued by reliability problems with the Honda engine. Issues first appeared during the previous free practice session, with Alonso noticing a loss of power. These problems worsened during qualifying, prompting the team to ask him to stop his car to avoid further damage to the power unit.

Team instructions and a reprimand

Alonso, who was near his garage, chose to follow his team's advice and stop his car rather than attempt to reach the pits. He explained that this decision was necessary to prevent more serious damage. However, he also received a reprimand from the stewards for not replacing his steering wheel before exiting the cockpit.

Optimism despite setbacks

Despite the difficulties, Alonso believes the team had the speed to reach the third qualifying group, though he admitted it would have been challenging. He estimated that the team's true position would have been around 12th or 13th place if the technical issues had not occurred.

Difficult race conditions ahead

Alonso is not optimistic about his chances in the race, as the Mexico circuit, located over 2,200 meters above sea level, makes cooling the car extremely difficult. This complicates overtaking in traffic, and Alonso believes the high temperatures will prevent drivers from following their opponents closely.

Morale and performance concerns

Alonso feels that the series of setbacks has affected his morale. He believes he missed a chance to achieve a better result on a track that is generally favorable to his Aston Martin. In Mexico, long acceleration phases are less common, which reduces the importance of engine power and could have helped the team hide some technical issues.

Potential grid penalty looms

The situation may get worse before the race, as Honda plans to replace several components of Alonso's power unit, which could result in a grid penalty. When asked about the need for a new engine, Alonso responded with resignation, saying, "I don't know. I suppose so."