Formula 1 doesn’t stop and continues south with its course set for Central America. After the race in Texas, the ten Formula 1 teams arrive in Mexico City, the capital of the homonymous state. Let’s discover together, in our track analysis, all the technical challenges that teams and cars will face in the Mexican GP. The circuit, named after the Rodriguez brothers, is extremely atypical, and its location at 2,200 meters above sea level makes it unique. The 4.304 km track will be covered 71 times during the Sunday GP. There are 16 corners on the circuit, with 10 right turns and three DRS activation zones.
The circuit’s altitude poses a real challenge for engineers and cars. At that altitude, the air density is significantly lower, causing various technical issues for the cars. This affects both aerodynamics, greatly reducing the generated downforce and thermal dissipation capacity. The most suitable setups are those with maximum downforce, despite reaching similar top speeds to those at Monza. Power units and brakes will also be put to the test due to the lower air density, which reduces the thermal dissipation capacity of radiators and brake baskets.
Sector 1 Track Analysis Mexico
The first sector opens on the over 1 km-long start-finish straight, where cars will exceed 340 km/h. Here, cars with good aerodynamic efficiency will have an advantage due to reduced aerodynamic drag. The braking point for turn 1 represents the first stressful moment for the brakes, with ample braking spaces to limit overheating. It’s crucial not to make a mistake in braking points, as it could affect the path through the first corners. Like in the others, traction is very important to exit the turns quickly. After passing the first chicane, the second straight opens up, and it has the DRS zone. Here, high speeds will also be reached, with peaks exceeding 300 km/h near turn 4, which marks the end of the first sector.
Sector 2
Braking for turn 4 also proves to be challenging for the brakes, applying deceleration of over 4 G. From here, the cars enter the Hermanos Rodriguez hook, two rather slow right-hand turns where traction is vital to exit them quickly. After this section, they move on to the fastest part of the lap, with 5 consecutive curves to be taken at over 200 km/h, closing the second sector.
Analysis of the Third Sector of the Mexican GP
The last part of the track begins with the final straight and a DRS zone, where cars will manage to exceed 300 km/h. The braking point for turn 12 is also highly demanding for the brakes, causing the cars to undergo deceleration of over 4 G. From here, the circuit enters the most spectacular part, the slow section of the stadium. This is a low-speed section requiring traction and a well-balanced front end to avoid understeer. After this part, the track winds through the stands and heads towards the last two right-hand corners. To be as fast as possible, drivers will tend towards the outside. However, they must pay particular attention to the exit, as the track will be very dirty, and the chances of hitting the wall before crossing the finish line are high.
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What tires will Pirelli bring for the Mexican GP?
The characteristics of the track and the low abrasiveness of the asphalt have allowed the Italian manufacturer to opt for the softest tire compounds in the range. A new addition this year is the C5 tire, introduced after last year’s experience and various simulations. This softer compound should enable more strategic options during Sunday’s GP. Furthermore, in the first two sessions, teams will be able to test an experimental C4 compound. Once tested, data will be collected for possible introduction in the 2024 Formula One season.
Source: f1ingenerale
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