Fernando Alonso faced a frustrating setback during qualifying at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix when a power unit issue cut his session short. The problem, suspected to be related to water pressure affecting the energy recovery system (ERS), forced the Aston Martin driver to stop his car just before the pit lane entrance in Q1, ending his chance to secure a strong grid position.
Alonso had demonstrated promising pace throughout the weekend, notably finishing 12th in the second practice session, less than eight-tenths behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. He even briefly led the timing charts at the start of qualifying before the technical issue halted his progress. The early end to his session meant Alonso would start 18th on the grid, a challenging position at the Mexico City circuit.
The Mexico City track’s characteristics appeared to suit the Aston Martin AMR26 better than initially expected. Alonso noted that the circuit’s layout—with fewer long straights and lower grip—reduced the car’s sensitivity to power unit performance, allowing the team to extract more from their package. Despite this, the power unit problem prevented Alonso from capitalising on the car’s potential during qualifying.
Reflecting on the incident, Alonso described his frustration as “beyond imagination,” highlighting the lost opportunity for Aston Martin to secure a solid qualifying result. Based on his practice pace, he believed a top-12 position was achievable, though he acknowledged that reaching Q3 would have been optimistic. Starting from 18th poses significant challenges in Mexico City, where high temperatures and the difficulty of closely following other cars in traffic complicate race strategy and overtaking chances.
Alonso summed up the situation as a “big opportunity lost” and referred to it as “the story of the year” for Aston Martin. The incident underlined the impact that technical reliability can have on a team’s weekend, especially when the car’s performance shows promise under specific track conditions.
This qualifying session highlighted the fine margins in Formula 1® where a single technical issue can drastically alter a driver’s prospects. For Alonso and Aston Martin, the focus will be on overcoming this setback and making the most of race day despite the challenging starting position.