The intensity of the 2023 Formula 1 season was on full display at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where fluctuating fortunes and challenging conditions once again underlined why the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez remains a unique test on the calendar. With soaring altitudes, high temperatures, and an expectant partisan crowd, the race was a cocktail of drama, strategy gambles, and technical battles – none more so than for the Aston Martin team and their drivers, Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.
Fernando Alonso, the two-time world champion, arrived in Mexico with hopes of recapturing the team’s early-season magic. Aston Martin impressively opened the year as Red Bull’s closest competitors but, as the season progressed, the green cars have found the going tougher. The Spanish maestro, known for his strategic acumen and relentless work ethic, predicted a tricky weekend – and he wasn’t wrong. From the outset, Alonso found balancing performance and tire management nearly impossible, especially given the circuit’s tendency to punish mistakes and overheat the machinery.
Throughout the practice sessions, both Alonso and Stroll struggled to dial the AMR23 into the narrow operating window required for success at high altitude. The thinner air at 2,250 meters above sea level makes aerodynamic downforce hard to come by. That, coupled with bumps and an ever-evolving track surface, made the task ahead monumental. Even Alonso’s vast experience couldn’t make up for the apparent lack of grip and unpredictable handling that the car was displaying.
When race day arrived, the daunting task ahead became clear. Alonso started further down the grid than he would have liked, and any ambition of climbing through the field was quickly squashed by the car’s stubborn refusal to handle the challenging conditions. Both the balance and the tire management continued to pose issues. As the Mexican sun beat down and the altitude thinned both air and engine power, Alonso found himself in a constant battle behind the wheel, fighting to avoid costly lapses in control. This proved to be an unrewarding endeavor: after a long stint mired in traffic and dealing with tire degradation, a terminal issue forced Alonso’s retirement, one he described as a ‘difficult and disappointing day’ in the paddock interviews.
Lance Stroll, on the other hand, was no stranger to setbacks in Mexico either. Ever since the first practice, the Canadian driver struggled to extract pace, and luck seemed just as absent as performance. An early race collision left his car wounded and his hopes dashed. Attempting to drag the car to the flag for much-needed data, Stroll’s Grand Prix turned from a points-chasing mission into a bruising test of endurance and tenacity. Despite his efforts, there was to be no reward: he, too, retired from the race, marking Aston Martin’s first double DNF of the season, underlining just how punishing the Mexican circuit can be for even the most well-resourced teams.
It must be noted that, despite these difficulties, Aston Martin remains optimistic about the rest of the season. Team principal Mike Krack emphasized their intent to analyze the data from this difficult weekend and bounce back stronger at the upcoming rounds. Alonso, well aware of the team’s evolving technical package, sounded a note of hope, pointing at the continual upgrades arriving for both cars. For now, however, Mexico City was a sobering chapter, confirming that in Formula 1’s relentless arms race, standing still means falling behind.
For Hungarian F1 fans watching at home or following the action with superhuman enthusiasm, this Grand Prix was a sharp reminder of the grit it takes to succeed at the elite level. Mexico City remains one of the great equalizers on the calendar; a place where reputations are tested and resilience is a prerequisite. While Alonso and Stroll left disappointed, their response in upcoming races will be watched with keener interest than ever. For those who live and breathe Formula 1, the drama and unpredictability of this spectacle only serve to deepen our love for the fastest sport on four wheels.
