2019 Mexican GP: facts and stats about the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez layout. Facts and stats about the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is a 4.304 km (2.674 mi) motorsport race track in Mexico City, Mexico, named after the racing drivers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez. The circuit got its name shortly after it opened when Ricardo Rodríguez died in practice for the non-Championship 1962 Mexican Grand Prix. Ricardo’s brother Pedro also lost his life behind the wheel nine years later. Since 2015 the track once again is a host of the Formula One Mexican Grand Prix, an event it previously hosted in two separarate time periods on a different layout, the last occasion of which was in 1992.

The circuit is located within the public park of the Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City in southeast Mexico City. The circuit is owned by the Government of the City, but is currently operated under concession by Corporación Interamericana de Entretenimiento (CIE) through OCESA, one of CIE’s subsidiaries. CIE also organizes the NASCAR and Desafío Coron races in this circuit and rents the circuits to other parties, including race organizers, automobile clubs and track amateurs for fees that are controversial due to their disproportionately high amounts compared to other ex-F1 courses.

Focus points Altitude. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is situated at 2,200 metres, which is three times higher than F1’s next highest track (Interlagos in Brazil). The thinner air affects the cars in three significant ways. First, they produce less downforce. The cars run maximum downforce, yet they produce less aerodynamic grip than at Monza. Second, the internal combustion unit produces less power because there’s 75 per cent less oxygen than at sea level and, third, it’s harder to cool the car.

Most demanding section The Stadium (Turns 13-16). This is the slowest section on the lap and a lot of time can be lost if traction or turn-in are a problem. It’s easy for the drivers to lock the unloaded front tyre on the approach to Turn 13 and they have to be progressive with the throttle, or risk snap oversteer.

Unique difficulty Aerodynamics. The thin air allows cars to run similar wing levels to the Singapore Grand Prix, yet they produce 10 per cent less downforce than at Monza – the lowest downforce track of the year. As a result, the cars produce very little drag and are spectacularly quick along the 1.3km/0.8-mile pit straight. The drivers are on full throttle for 15s and top speeds peak at 354km/h (220mph) just prior to the braking zone.

Race Engineer’s Lowdown
Braking The cars spend 16s per lap on the brakes. The hardest deceleration is into Turn One, where the cars slow from 354km/h (220mph) to 106km/h (66mph) in just 70 metres, with a peak longitudinal force of 4.2g. The high altitude makes brake cooling one of the trickiest engineering conundrums of the season.

Power The cars use 1.4kg of fuel per lap, with 47 per cent spent on full throttle.

Aero High downforce. The cars run maximum downforce yet produce less aerodynamic grip than at Monza, due to the thinner air at high altitude. The reduced drag from the cars results in some of the highest top speeds of the year along the pit straight.

Circuit Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico has hosted 21 Grands Prix between 1963 and 2020.

The pole position record at this track belongs to Jim Clark with 4 poles

STATISTICS