Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

Track Info

Location	Mexico City, Mexico
Type	Permanent Road Course
Length	4.304 km (2.674 miles)
Turns	17
Capacity	~140,000
Opened	1959 (returned to F1 in 2015 after major renovation)

Track Characteristics

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez sits at 2,240 meters above sea level, making it by far the highest circuit on the F1 calendar. The thin air at altitude reduces aerodynamic downforce by approximately 20% and cuts engine power by around 20%, fundamentally changing how cars behave compared to every other venue. Teams run their maximum downforce configurations to compensate, yet the cars remain slippery and difficult to control through corners.

The circuit is named after Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez, two Mexican brothers who were among the fastest drivers of the early 1960s and both died in racing accidents. The layout features a long main straight that leads into a heavy braking zone at Turn 1, one of the best overtaking spots on the calendar. The middle sector winds through a series of medium-speed corners in the Magdalena Mixhuca park.

The final sector is the showpiece. The cars thread through a baseball stadium that has been incorporated into the circuit, with grandstands packed with passionate Mexican fans creating an atmosphere comparable to a World Cup football match. The stadium section (sometimes called the Foro Sol section) is one of the most electrifying experiences in all of motorsport, with 30,000 fans creating a wall of noise as cars blast through.

Getting There

Nearest Airport	Mexico City International Airport (MEX), approximately 5 km from the circuit.
Nearest City	Mexico City (the circuit is within the city, in the Magdalena Mixhuca park)

2026 Event Info

Race Name	Mexican Grand Prix
Round	18 of 22
Sprint Weekend	No
TV	Apple TV

Track Record

Lap Record	1:17.774
Record Holder	Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes, 2021)

Notable Past Races

• 2023: Max Verstappen set the all-time record for most wins in a single season (18th victory) at the Mexican GP, one of many records broken during his dominant 2023 campaign.
• 2022: Verstappen won to enormous cheers from the crowd supporting Sergio Perez, who finished third behind Lewis Hamilton. The atmosphere in the stadium section was electric.
• 2021: Verstappen extended his championship lead over Hamilton with a dominant victory. The altitude-affected race saw Hamilton's Mercedes struggle more than Verstappen's Red Bull.
• 2018: Verstappen overtook Lewis Hamilton at Turn 1 on the opening lap and controlled the race from the front. Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull suffered a dramatic engine failure while running third.
• 2015: The Mexican Grand Prix returned after a 23-year absence. Nico Rosberg won, but the event's success was the real story - 134,850 fans packed the circuit, with the stadium section becoming an instant F1 icon.

Track Facts

• At 2,240 meters above sea level, Mexico City is the highest circuit on the F1 calendar by a significant margin.
• The thin air reduces downforce by roughly 20%, meaning teams run their maximum downforce setups yet still have less grip than at sea-level circuits.
• The Foro Sol (now Ciudad de los Deportes) stadium section is one of the most unique features in F1, with 30,000 fans watching from the grandstands as cars pass through.
• The circuit is named after Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez, Mexican racing brothers who competed in F1 in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
• F1 cars at Mexico City record their highest top speeds of the season due to the reduced air resistance at altitude.

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