The Mexican Grand Prix became the Mexico City Grand Prix in 2021 because of a major change in how Formula 1’s race in the country was financed. When Mexico’s federal government withdrew its financial support in 2019, the event faced an uncertain future. A new funding arrangement involving Mexico City’s authorities and private businesses helped keep the race on the calendar, with its revised name recognising the capital’s central role.
As Formula 1 prepares for the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the 19th round of the championship, the distinction remains significant. Although many supporters continue to call the event the Mexican Grand Prix, its official title tells a story about political decisions, private investment and the efforts that preserved Formula 1’s presence in Mexico.
Why the Mexican Grand Prix changed its name in 2021
The decision to rename the race was closely connected to the financial arrangements introduced after the previous hosting agreement expired in 2019. Until then, the event had benefited from national government support, which helped finance Formula 1’s return to the country.
When the championship came back to Mexico in 2015, it ended an absence of more than two decades. The return was organised through a project promoted by Mexican company CIE in cooperation with Formula One Management, with substantial investment required to modernise the circuit and surrounding infrastructure.
However, the financial model supporting the Grand Prix changed when the contract reached its conclusion in 2019. The federal government, led by then-president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, decided against renewing its financial contribution.
The administration instead prioritised spending on other infrastructure projects, including the Tren Maya railway. Without continued federal funding, the future of the race became uncertain, raising the possibility that Formula 1 could once again disappear from Mexico.
How Claudia Sheinbaum helped secure Formula 1’s future in Mexico
Mexico City’s local administration subsequently became central to efforts to preserve the Grand Prix. Claudia Sheinbaum, who was mayor of the capital at the time, played an important role in establishing an alternative financial arrangement.
Her administration helped bring together local companies and entrepreneurs to create a privately backed funding structure. This enabled the event to continue without relying on financial contributions from the federal government.
The new arrangement represented a significant shift. Rather than being supported through a national funding model, the Grand Prix became more directly associated with Mexico City and the private investors helping to sustain it.
The change also provided the basis for the event’s new official identity. Following the cancellation of the 2020 race because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Formula 1 returned in 2021 under the Mexico City Grand Prix name.
The title acknowledged the capital’s contribution to maintaining the race while also promoting Mexico City internationally as a major sporting destination. What might initially appear to be a straightforward commercial rebranding therefore reflected an important change in the event’s organisation and financing.
The history of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez and Formula 1 in Mexico
Long before the Mexico City Grand Prix adopted its current name, the circuit had already experienced several periods on and off the Formula 1 calendar. Its championship history stretches back to 1963, when the venue was known as Magdalena Mixhuca.
The circuit hosted Formula 1 races until 1970, when concerns surrounding spectator safety and crowd management contributed to its removal from the championship.
It was subsequently renamed in honour of Ricardo Rodríguez and Pedro Rodríguez, two brothers who became important figures in Mexican motorsport. Their legacy remains closely associated with the circuit, which is now officially known as the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
Formula 1 eventually returned to the venue in 1986, beginning another period of championship racing that continued until 1992. A further lengthy absence followed before the modern Mexican Grand Prix was revived in 2015.
That comeback required extensive renovation work, with circuit designer Hermann Tilke overseeing major changes to the layout and facilities. One of the most notable modifications involved the famous Peraltada corner, with the revised configuration introducing a section passing through Foro Sol.
The stadium section has since become one of the race’s defining features, offering a distinctive atmosphere with thousands of spectators surrounding the track.
The venue’s different eras, previous winners and historical achievements can be explored through the Formula 1 circuit records and Grand Prix history, which provides additional information about championship events and track records.
Why some Formula 1 races are named after cities instead of countries
Mexico’s change of name is not unique within Formula 1. Several championship events use the name of their host city rather than the country in which the race takes place.
In the United States, for example, the Miami Grand Prix and Las Vegas Grand Prix are identified by their respective cities. Both titles distinguish the events from other Formula 1 races held within the same country.
Brazil offers another example. The event at Interlagos is now known as the São Paulo Grand Prix, having previously carried the Brazilian Grand Prix name.
These naming arrangements emphasise the host location and help establish a distinct identity for each event on the international calendar. The 2026 Formula 1 calendar includes several examples of races named after cities as well as those named after countries.
However, Mexico City’s situation has a particularly clear financial and political explanation. The renaming followed a change in responsibility for supporting the event, with the capital and private investors replacing the previous federal funding arrangement.
Mexico City Grand Prix returns for the 2026 Formula 1 season
The 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix continues the modern chapter of Formula 1 racing at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The event remains associated with the same historic venue, despite the change in its official name.
For Ferrari and the rest of the Formula 1 field, the focus now turns to another weekend of competition at the Mexican circuit. Its high-altitude conditions create unusual technical challenges, particularly in relation to cooling and aerodynamic performance, as highlighted by Ferrari’s preparations for Mexico City’s cooling and grip demands.
Fans planning to follow the event can find the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix practice, qualifying and race timetable, including the weekend’s session times and television coverage.
Although the Mexican Grand Prix name remains familiar to generations of Formula 1 supporters, the Mexico City Grand Prix title represents something more specific than a change in branding. It reflects the funding decisions of 2019, the efforts to preserve the race and the role of Mexico City’s authorities and business community in maintaining the event’s place in Formula 1.
Leave a Reply