The Autodrómo Hermanos Rodriguez has hosted all the Mexican Formula 1 Grand Prix which have taken place between 1963 and 1992. The track was partially redesigned and renamed Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez (after Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez, local racing brothers who both lost their lives in racing incidents) for its return to the F1 calendar in 1986. Then, back in 2015, the Mexico City race returned to the calendar and although some parts of the old track remain, many have been remodelled, while the facilities have also been updated by architect Hermann Tilke.
FEATURES OF THE HERMANOS RODRÍGUEZ CIRCUIT
The Autodrómo Hermanos Rodriguez is definitely one of the most demanding circuits on the calendar: from aerodynamics to the engine, everything is affected by the fact the track is at altitude, rising past the 6,500 feet above sea level mark. The rarified atmosphere means the cars need to be run with maximum aero downforce, at the same level as Monaco and Singapore. At the same time, drag is reduced and, despite the high downforce, top speeds are very high.
The highest speed recorded was set by Valtteri Bottas in the Williams in 2016, when the Finn hit 372.5 km/h, also an outright record in Formula 1.
Engine performance is also affected by the altitude. The turbocharging system must suck in more air to reach the right aspiration pressure and in order to have the right cooling levels, air intakes will have to be opened up.
The brakes also need to be watched carefully at the Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit, as the driver spends no less than 21 seconds per lap with the left pedal buried to the metal and here too, brake ducts are more open than usual to keep everything at the right operating temperature, so that the discs and pads do not wear out too quickly.
And we can’t wait to get out on track in Mexico City and hear the cheers of the boisterous fans who pack the grandstands in the baseball stadium section: if they find time to glance upwards for a second, they will realise just how much the Mexican fans love our sport!
Mexican Grand Prix: Fact File
At 4.304km, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is the second shortest circuit on the F1 calendar after the Circuit de Monaco.
The Mexican Grand Prix is one of three races in the season that has 71 laps, together with Brazil and Austria.
The 811-metre run from pole position to the first braking zone is the second longest in F1, only behind Russia. 9.6 seconds of it are completed at full throttle.
The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez has the highest altitude on the calendar, situated 2,285m above sea level. Before Mexico returned to the F1 calendar, the track with the highest altitude was Interlagos in Brazil, 800m above sea level.
Despite the high altitude, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is one of the flattest tracks on the calendar, with the third smallest elevation change – 2.8m over the 4.304km lap. Only Melbourne and Sochi, both of which are only slightly above sea level, have less elevation change.
The high altitude means that the ambient pressure is the lowest of the season by far, around 780mb. Oxygen levels at this altitude are 78% of what they are at sea level and this reduction in air density has an impact on the Formula One cars.
The Power Unit is the most affected by the low atmospheric pressure. A normally-aspirated engine would suffer a significant drop in power (around 20%). A turbocharged engine can make up for this but the turbo has to work much harder than in normal conditions to achieve it, which increases temperatures.
The thin air also means that it is less effective to cool the car, so the Power Unit and brakes run hotter. Bodywork with increased cooling is required to address this.
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