[Official] Mexican Grand Prix 2015: Weekend Thread

[Born Racer]

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez returns for the first time since 1992 to once again give us a Mexican Grand Prix. In its former guise, the circuit was notorious for its high altitude stressing the engines and its bumps and abrasive surface stressing the drivers.

Just like today, when the inaugural Grand Prix was staged, it was late October. The decision to build the track was triggered by the burgeoning success of Mexican Ferrari driver Ricardo Rodriguez. The circuit was placed in Magdalena Mixhuca park in the east of the capital. With Ferrari not attending the inaugural non-championship event in 1962, Rodriguez ran the event in a Rob Walker-run Lotus 24, but was killed when he crashed in qualifying at the daunting final corner – Peraltada.

The next year, Formula 1 arrived in Mexico City and Mexico at least gained a star in the form of Ricardo’s younger brother Pedro. On his second F1 start, he ran in the top ten. Jim Clark won the race by almost two minutes.

In 1964, Mexico City began to host the season finale and Ferrari’s John Surtees became the first world champion on two and four wheels. Richie Ginther took Honda’s first victory in 1965. Mexico held several title deciders and drew a fervent crowd. 200,000 turned out to see the F1 in 1970 and home star driver Pedro Rodriguez. Crowd control was said to be a problem. A dog got onto the track and was hit by Jackie Stewart. This was the last time the race was run until 1986.

The track was revised slightly, but the circuit offered the same type of challenge. Gerhard Berger took Benetton’s first Grand Prix win in the first year back. There were some big accidents over the years. In 1987, Nelson Piquet was first on the road, but Nigel Mansell won the race after the Grand Prix was aggregated after a big smash for Derek Warwick brought out the red flags. Mansell had been 30 seconds ahead at the time of the first stoppage. The event moved from October to May the following year and Philippe Alliot had a massive shunt in practice. In 1991, Senna also had a big one, rolling at the Peraltada in qualifying after losing it on the bumps.

In 1990, the race had moved to June and it was here that the circuit saw Alain Prost manage to charge from 13th on the grid to victory and Nigel Mansell pull off an audacious move on Gerhard Berger around the outside of the banked Peraltada, which caused BBC commentator’s Murray Walker to reach for the high decibels: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2g1yrGputA

The race in 1992 was the last one to be held until 2015 and took place in March, dominant Williams pairing Nigel Mansell and Ricardo Patrese coming home first and second, with Benetton’s Michael Schumacher completing the podium.

Now, after the absence, Mexico once more has a home hero. Although not a front-runner right now, Sergio Perez has been driving fantastically recently, which is just great timing for the return of the Mexican Grand Prix.

The reprofiled circuit gets rid of the left-right-left sequence that was after Turn 6, while it also sadly loses the infamous Peraltada, replaced instead by a section which winds its way around a baseball stadium. The start-finish straight is extremely long and is followed by a sharp right-hand turn, which is immediately followed by a short left and right at Turns 2 and 3. After DRS Activation on the start-finish straight, the drivers have a second bite of it between Turns 3 and 4, the original activation point serving it.

After left, right and right from Turns 4 to 6, the next stretch is now a straight before some faster and more flowing corners as we enter Sector 2 between Turns 7 and 11. After another straight and then a tighter right at Turn 12, Sector 3 consists of this final baseball stadium section, which completes the lap.

The weather outlook for the weekend looks to be dry at the moment, with temperatures of 20 degrees forecast for race day. In the drivers’ press conference yesterday, drivers didn’t have any surprises to say. Despite being able to run on the circuit in simulators, there is a sense of wait-and-see and quiet anticipation about what Mexico City will offer us this weekend. http://www.formula1.com/content/fom-...---mexico.html

After winning his third drivers’ championship in the fantastic wet-weather Grand Prix at Austin a week ago, Lewis Hamilton will no doubt be serenely preparing to just go out and enjoy his racing, which will therefore pose an enormous challenge to everyone in his Mercedes, because a happy Hamilton has been delivering the goods all season. It is said that there is once again a bit more needle between him and his team-mate Nico Rosberg after the latter wasn’t pleased with the first corner of Lap 1 in Austin, but it remains to be seen whether Nico can channel that into something productive. Perhaps it bodes well for Nico that he at least battled well with the World Champion during the American race.

Constructors’ championship standings: http://www.formula1.com/content/fom-...standings.html

Drivers’ championship standings: http://www.formula1.com/content/fom-...standings.html


Circuit length: 4.304km
Number of laps: 71
Race distance: 305.354km
Dry weather tyre compounds: Soft and Medium
DRS Detection Zone: after Turn 14
DRS Activation Zone 1: part-way down start-finish straight
DRS Activation Zone 2: on straight between Turns 3 and 4
Speed trap: Just before Turn 1

Lap Record: N/A
First World Championship Grand Prix: 1963
First World Championship Grand Prix on current layout: 2015

[JeremySmith]

Great intro BR as usual .. : - )

[Matt]

I'm genuinely excited for this event.

[chillibowl]

yeah also looking forward to it. something sort of nice about races after the titles have been decided and like Nico's comments about how the remainder is sort of a mini championship for him now so im looking forward to a more aggressive race on his part.

and another great intro

cool event poster! (sorry but couldn't find a smaller pic)

[JeremySmith]

Nice poster ! Thanks for sharing that ...

[JeremySmith]

I like this track I am watching FP1 at the moment ..
The tarmac is only two weeks old ..

[stripedcat]

Great intro, BR. I hope this track is interesting. Plus - I hope we have another decent race.

It looks like it is a battle for 2nd place in the WDC now - between Vettel and Rosberg.

[GT6]

There is also the slight improvement in maclaren to watch, can they get enough points to overtake sauber

[djinvicta]

Ouch! Button box box, new engine has a "gremlin"

[Born Racer]

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the intro.

There is also the slight improvement in maclaren to watch, can they get enough points to overtake sauber

It's going to be tough for them this weekend to score, as they'll be starting at the back.

[Mike Harte]

Before all our Dutch friends get over-excited about their hero-in-chief managing to top the time sheets in FP1, it must be noted that the time was achieved by him missing the first part of the Esses and straight-lining it, thereby gaining some time.

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Before all our Dutch friends get over-excited about their hero-in-chief managing to top the time sheets in FP1, it must be noted that the time was achieved by him missing the first part of the Esses and straight-lining it, thereby gaining some time.

his 2nd best time was a 1.26.147(2 laps after), wich would also have been fastes

[bjohnsonsmith]

Exellent intro, very informative as usual.

The WDC and Constructor's have been decided, however I'm really looking forward to this race, as the last time I watched a race here was the final round of the now defunct Champ Car series, in 2007.

The track has changed a fair bit. The most notable is with Turn 12, which was an 180° right hander and is now a complex of corners. There have been other changes but I hope the track hasn't been sanitised too much.

[Mekola]

I won't be surprised if Lotus defines to give Jolyon Palmer his racing debut before his 2016 contract, mostly when Grosjean has already signed with Haas.

[Adam43]

In Mexico?

[bjohnsonsmith]

Jenson won't be taking part in Qualifying because of a misfire.

[bjohnsonsmith]

And so the Mercedes juggernaut rolls on.

Nico's on pole again but can he capitalise on it tomorrow, or will Lewis get the better of him, again?

[Mekola]

I think it could be for Nico this race, though. Hamilton could emulate Senna when he gave Berger the win at Japan '91.

[stripedcat]

Originally Posted by Mekola

I think it could be for Nico this race, though. Hamilton could emulate Senna when he gave Berger the win at Japan '91.

Hopefully, he'll emulate Patrese's 1991 race at Mexico - and win here.

[S griffin]

He needs a sore neck first...

[tux]

Weather could get interesting. 50% chance of rain at the start, increasing as the afternoon goes on.

[canamman]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Jenson won't be taking part in Qualifying because of a misfire.

The Mexican cuisine can do that. Hope he is better for the race.

[Jordan 199]

Ha!

He also has a 70 place grid penalty because of changes to different parts of his engine.

What the *******ing hell is the point of a 70 place grid penalty when you're already at the back of the grid? Sounds pathetic really. I think the limits on engine changes are poorly realised in modern F1, when you have seasons that last for 945 races. And increasing all the time.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Jordan 199

Ha!

He also has a 70 place grid penalty because of changes to different parts of his engine.

Forget about the Mexican cuisine, a 70 place grid penalty is enough to make anyone misfire.

Seriously, what does a 70 place grid penalty actually achieve and what does it say about F1?

[Jordan 199]

Exactly.

Perhaps to make their point properly they could paint the extra 50 places and have him start so far back we can't see him?

Are they making the engine rules a bit fairer for next year? Or even at the very least removing the silly possibilities of multiple grid penalties?