A brake-by-wire issue seriously impacted Theo Pourchaire’s FP1 running for Alfa Romeo at the 2023 Mexico City Grand Prix, with him unable to set a competitive lap time.
FP1 saw a host of Formula 2 names take part in the session in Mexico, with Jack Doohan, Isack Hadjar, Fred Vesti, and Ollie Bearman all taking to the track.
Pourchaire had the most frustrating session of all, though, with him persistently complaining about the brakes and having to go back to the pit lane on more than one occasion.
“We had the problem with the brake-by-wire system,” Alfa Romeo Head of Trackside Engineering Xevi Pujolar told the press, when asked what the issue was.
“We had a development item on the car, and unfortunately didn’t work. We tried to fix it during the session. But then it was obvious that we had to remove the gearbox to fix it. So we couldn’t set any proper running with him.”
Pourchaire reacts to Mexico issue
As for Pourchaire himself, he was clearly frustrated after the session at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez after waiting so long to get back into an F1 car.
“It’s motorsport, it can happen,” Pourchaire told the press. “Unfortunately, it happens when I’m in the car for the FP1.
“A bit disappointed for sure because I prepared myself a lot. And last time I drove it was in Abu Dhabi last year, so it was a long time ago.
“I wanted to drive, the track looks cool. I did some small laps, but I couldn’t push as it was not so safe to push, that’s how it is.
“We tried many things to solve the issue, but it didn’t work.”
