Fernando Alonso starts off on the right foot in Mexico; Leclerc leads
The time table of the first F1 Mexican GP free practice They are not representative. Even less if we take into account that there were up to 10 ‘rookies’ who took the place of almost half of the official drivers on the grid to compete in FP1 in the Hermanos Rodríguez Autodrome. But for now, the beginning of Fernando Alonso with his Aston Martin It was positive.
The Asturian was not seen with any apparent problems in his car and was able to show a very good pace in the last sector because it is full of slow corners, the ones preferred by the Spaniard.
There were many doubts about what I could do Aston Martin in Mexicoabove all, due to the lower density of the air due to the altitude (2,200 meters). In these conditions, the engine’s turbo has to work much harder and spin faster, and precisely, Sling He suffered a lot of turbo problems two races ago.
They managed to solve this setback with some countermeasures that worked in austinbut Mexico It had to be a major litmus test in this regard.
And so far, there were no reliability problems to complain about, Alonso He marked the second best third sector of the entire grid, although, yes, he suffered in a sector 1 with two straights in which the power deficit of the Honda engine hampered him.
At the moment, Fernando finished 7th, although that result is not very representative, because we will have to wait for the 10 missing starting drivers who will get into their cars in FP2, most of them, with a better car than Fernando. And also, we will have to see how a track that presented very good and surprising grip from the beginning due to its resurfacing improves in FP2.
The 10 ‘rookie’ drivers who took to the track in Free Practice 1 in Mexico were Nikola Tsolov (Racing Bulls, by Lawson). Ayumu Iwasa, at Red Bull, instead of Verstappen; Leonardo Fornaroli, in McLaren, for Norris; Frederik Vesti, with Mercedes, in Russell’s place; Gabriele Miní, with Alpine in Colapinto’s place; Luke Browning, with Williams for Albon; Jak Crawford, in Stroll’s Aston Martin; Freddie Slater, with the Audi by Bortoleto; and Colton Herta got into Bottas’s Cadillac.
Among all of them, there were between 5 and 7 cars that under normal conditions should be ahead of the Aston Martin. That explains the 7th place. But given what happened this season, the start could have been much worse.
Fernando finished 1.229 off the best time, signed by Charles Leclercwhich began by dominating this Grand Prize as he already did in austin. There, the Ferraris ended up sinking in Q3 and exhibiting great race pace. Here, those in red seek revenge. Before the mercedesthey must do everything perfect.
The star’s car is so good that even the young Vesti already started in third place, replacing Russel0″733 off the best time and only 74 thousandths of Kimi Antonelli. Kimiwho could be champion this weekend, was second, 0.659 behind Leclerc. Meanwhile, Hamilton was 4th, 0.738, with more to row than Charles from the start.
Carlos Sainz, 16th and good debut for Tsolov
Carlos Sainz finished 16th with his Williams at 1.8 dand his head behind the wheel of a car with which it will be very difficult for him to aspire to score points in the remainder of the season. The Madrid native wants to fight for Q2 this weekend, although it will be a difficult challenge.
Of all the young people, highlighted the debut of Nikola Tsolov in an F1 GP, a Bulgarian F2 driver whothat a shuttlecock is played in RB with Lawson for next year and that started very well, in 12th place just one tenth behind Lindblad. For his part, the young Slaterfrom F3, debuted in F1 without serious errors, although in 21st place. Mini, with Alpine, finished 8 tenths behind Gasly.
