Fernando Alonso was unimpressed with the FIA’s stewarding at the Mexican Grand Prix last weekend, and revealed his own clever plan to make the most of the situation

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Fernando Alonso was unimpressed with stewarding at the Mexican Grand Prix(Image: Zak Mauger/LAT Images)

Fernando Alonso has accused the FIA of ‘looking to the other side’ during the Turn One battles at the Mexican Grand Prix last weekend. The two-time world champion plans to ‘take advantage’ of the stewards’ lax approach to penalising the opening corners at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

The opening sequence of corners in Mexico City represents the best passing opportunity of the lap and, therefore, the primary source of on-track chaos. This was evidenced on Sunday, as Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc all had their own adventures onto the grassy run-off areas.

Verstappen’s was particularly contentious. The Dutchman attempted a four-wide move around the outside at Turn One but couldn’t make the corner. Instead, he scampered over the grass and emerged at Turn Three ahead of one of his rivals, before handing the place back to Hamilton.

Mercedes driver George Russell believed that the incident warranted a penalty, but the stewards decided not to investigate. This also frustrated Aston Martin driver Alonso, who made his thoughts known after the chequered flag.

“We made up some places, we were aggressive into Turn One and everything was looking good,” he told F1 TV . “But I think a couple of cars went just straight in Turn Two and Three, and then they rejoined like three or four cars in front of me.

“So it’s a little bit unfair, I would say. It’s the second time in a row that on the first lap in the first corner, the FIA is looking to the other side. So, lesson learned.”

Speaking later to ESPN , he once again voiced his gripes. “It’s allowed to cut when you can’t go through the track, sometimes you have to make an escape manoeuvre to avoid touching, that’s allowed,” he explained. “What you can’t do is to go flat out and gain two or three positions, because normally you have to give them back.

“But well, surely the FIA had more information, they saw that it was not necessary to give them back, and we will try to take advantage of the next time there is a similar situation, hopefully we will be on the other side. But, well, always trying to do our best.”

Alonso’s own race was curtailed early as brake overheating issues forced Aston Martin to retire the car on lap 34. The 44-year-old has endured a frustrating second half of the season and has often bemoaned a lack of fortune in favour of his squad. Both driver and team are looking ahead to the new technical regulations in 2026.

However, standing between Aston Martin and 2026 is a tense Constructors’ Championship battle. Team Silverstone sit three points behind sixth-placed Racing Bulls in the standings and now have Haas for company too, following Oliver Bearman’s breakthrough fourth-place finish in Mexico. Even Sauber are only nine points behind Lawrence Stroll’s squad.