Mexico City Grand Prix: Race Preview

The circuit, located within the Magdalena Mixhuca public park in the eastern district of the sprawling city, first welcomed Formula 1 in 1963, and it became the regular host of the season finale. After an absence, it returned under its new name in 1986, honoring Mexico’s fallen racing brothers Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez, before being discontinued once more in 1992. But in 2015 Mexico’s Formula 1 event was resurrected again, with the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez given a fresh makeover, and it quickly re-established itself as a firm fixture on the schedule.

The 2.6-mile Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez circuit features one of the longest pit straights on the calendar, and a high-speed sequence of esses, which are connected by slower chicanes and complexes – including a section through the Estadio GNP, a semi-circular stadium which houses 30,000 spectators. One of the biggest obstacles teams must overcome in Mexico City is its altitude, as the venue sits at over 2,200 meters above sea level, making it comfortably the highest-altitude circuit on the calendar. The thinner air means cars generate less downforce, impacting handling, while tire degradation is also influenced as a result. There is also less drag at altitude, and in addition there is the greater challenge of keeping elements such as power units and brakes in their correct operating temperatures.

TGR Haas F1 Team Reserve Driver Ryō Hirakawa will participate in his third FP1 session of the season, following his last outing in Hungary in July, this time driving Esteban Ocon’s VF-26.

LAST TIME OUT

Ollie Bearman claimed the best finish of his Formula 1 career, classifying fourth, which also equaled the highest result in the history of TGR Haas F1 Team. Esteban Ocon held ninth position to ensure it was a double points finish for the team.

Hoagy Nidd, Head of Car Engineering:

“We’re returning to Mexico, a race that's been historically good to us. Last year, it was the scene of our best result of the season, where Ollie came fourth and Esteban finished ninth in the race, scoring 14 points for the team. In terms of engineering, it presents one of the most interesting challenges of the year. It's at about 2,200  meters above sea level, and that makes it very tough on the car and very tough on cooling. It means we have some pretty fast straight speeds, despite running at maximum downforce. Beyond the track, it's also an amazing circuit in an amazing city with great fans, it's a fun place to go.”

Ollie Bearman:

“We move three hours south from the Circuit of The Americas and arrive in Mexico City – a race which is challenging for very different reasons! The circuit is famously sat over 2,200 meters above sea level, with altitude being a challenge for both cars and drivers. It very much feels like a workout when you’re out on track, but the top-speeds around this track due to the lack of air makes it exhilarating to drive. We enter the second race of this triple and I’m feeling fresh and motivated, so let’s see what we can do.”

Esteban Ocon:

“I'm very happy to be back in Mexico, it's such a beautiful country with great people and passionate fans. I feel very welcome here and always look forward to the atmosphere all weekend. I’m missing FP1 this week for Ryo’s next scheduled session, so my Friday morning will look a bit different to normal, but it’s always interesting to see a session from the other side and how feedback relates to data. I’ll be back in from FP2, and it will be vital that we get that set-up right for the rest of the weekend. As always, the altitude will be a factor to contend with but we are looking forward to getting started and bouncing back from a tough race in Austin.”