**Fernando Alonso to Miss Mexico Grand Prix Media Day Due to Illness**

Fernando Alonso, the veteran Formula 1 driver who is on the verge of his 400th Grand Prix, will be absent from media day activities at the Mexico City Grand Prix due to illness. Despite these challenges, he remains determined to participate in Friday's practice sessions.

Aston Martin, the team representing Alonso, had already planned for reserve driver Felipe Drugovich to take over during the first free practice session. This change aligns with the regulation that mandates young drivers must be given track time in FP1. Thus, Drugovich's presence was expected regardless of Alonso's health situation.

Alonso, who was scheduled to join Charles Leclerc and Zhou Guanyu in the second press conference, will now focus on recovery. "Fernando Alonso is feeling unwell and will therefore not attend media day at the Mexico City Grand Prix," Aston Martin announced. "Fernando is focused on feeling 100% for Friday and his planned return to the AMR24 for Free Practice 2."

This race weekend marks Alonso’s 400th event as an F1 driver. However, it will not be until the Qatar Grand Prix that he will officially celebrate his 400th race start. The Spaniard's impressive career has seen him surpass the records of other notable drivers such as Kimi Raikkonen and Lewis Hamilton, with Rubens Barrichello following on the list with 326 entries.

Reflecting on his career milestone, Alonso shared, "It's nice to achieve. Obviously, championships and race wins are what matter most to us as drivers but, at the same time, it shows my love for the sport and the discipline I've had to perform at a very high level for more than 20 years. I don't think I'll be adding another 400 to my total, but hopefully, I've got at least another 40 or 50 more races to come in the next couple of years."

Alonso's illustrious career, marked by world championships and countless memorable races, underscores his enduring passion for the sport and his commitment to maintaining peak performance over two decades.