Newey spotted studying Leclerc's Ferrari on Mexico grid as both Aston Martins retire

Newey was pictured with his notebook in hand and Leclerc's car behind him in the final minutes before the race. Newey , who was linked with a move to Ferrari before he joined Aston Martin in 2024, ultimately took the job with Aston following his departure from Red Bull inn 2025.

This was not the first time Newey has looked closely at the Ferrari as the SF-26 has regularly caught his eye during the 2026 season. The car won the Barcelona and British Grands Prix earlier in the year. Mexico was Newey's latest appearance at a race after he also attended last month's United States Grand Prix in Austin.

Ferrari had been strong all weekend at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Leclerc set the fastest time in the opening practice session, and Lewis Hamilton then took pole position with Leclerc third. In the race, Leclerc finished fourth after a five-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage - leading to questions about Fred Vasseur's management, while fighting Hamilton on the opening lap. Max Verstappen won, and Kimi Antonelli took the title.

Aston Martin's Sunday did not last long. Fernando Alonso was called into the pits and retired after five laps, and Lance Stroll parked his car on lap 6, bringing out a short Virtual Safety Car. The team said both cars were stopped because of "abnormal pressure levels in the PU systems", RacingNews365 reported. Honda said the altitude in Mexico City had put more strain than expected on its ERS cooling system.

For Alonso, it was the same problem that had already ruined his Saturday. He was ordered to stop in Q1 with a suspected ERS-related water pressure issue and started 18th. "The same MGUK issue that stopped us in Qualifying reoccurred and forced us to stop," the Spaniard said after the race, adding: "I'm doing my best to stay motivated." Stroll said he "had to stop the car on Lap 6 to avoid damaging the battery."

Newey's own comments in the team's post-race statement were brief and gave nothing away.

He added that the team needs to learn something for 2027 at every race this year, including from days like this. That makes it clear where his focus lies. This was Aston Martin's fifth double DNF of the season. The team is still tenth in the constructors' standings with just seven points from 19 races.

Newey revealed earlier this year that the team's 2026 car had been compromised from the start. Aston Martin only put a model of it in the wind tunnel in April 2025, four months after its rivals. With the next race in Brazil, it is no surprise that Newey is studying the fastest cars on the grid while his own team keeps learning the hard way.