The history
Between 1963 and 1970, the Formula 1 circus travelled to Mexico for the Grand Prix. No GPs then took place from 1971 to 1985. In 1986, however, the FIA decided to return until 1992. Then, Formula 1 didn't think it was a good idea to return until 2015. To this day, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez is still being raced on.
Features of the circuit
Student Óscar Fernández was the great creator of the circuit in the 1950s, with the differences in altitude providing a unique challenge on the track. The biggest eye-catcher is at the end of the lap. This is because the drivers end up in a stadium where thousands of supporters stand to cheer them on. The Zandvoort Circuit later took this into account when creating the circuit for the Dutch GP.
Besides the stadium, the circuit, which has 17 corners, has an extremely fast final turn, which allows the drivers to carry a lot of speed to get towards the finish line. Over the years, the organisers of the Mexican GP have chosen several times to add changes to the track, making it virtually incomparable to the circuit found in Mexico in the 1960s.
Iconic races
For many years, the Mexican GP was the season finale, but nowadays the race takes place a few weeks before the end of the racing year. Especially in the 1960s, the final race of the season caused a lot of tension in Mexico, with drivers dying several times as a result of hard crashes. It even caused the GP not to take place for several years.
Although Max Verstappen had no chance of taking the world title before 2021, he did frequently manage to take victory in Mexico. The circuit suits Red Bull's car well, allowing Verstappen to almost always perform well. In the past five races, he managed to emerge victorious four times.
