Mexico City Grand Prix

The highest race on the calendar

Mexico City sits at 2,240 meters above sea level — the highest altitude any F1 race is run at. Engines lose around 25% of normal power output to thin air; aero loads drop similarly. Setups for Mexico are radically different from anywhere else on the calendar.

Why it matters

The track is named after Mexican brothers Pedro and Ricardo Rodríguez, both early Mexican F1 heroes; both died in racing. The race returned to F1 in 2015 after a 23-year absence and has built one of the loudest fan atmospheres in the sport — particularly in the baseball stadium section (Turns 12–14), where 30,000 fans pack into a converted stadium.

What to watch for

• The stadium section — Turns 12–14 run through a converted Foro Sol baseball stadium. The noise from the stands is genuinely overwhelming.
• The long start-finish straight — at altitude, slipstreaming is amplified. DRS overtakes happen 200 metres earlier than at most tracks.
• Sergio Pérez’s home race — even after his Red Bull exit, the Mexican crowd shows up for him in numbers. Listen for the cheers when he passes the stadium.