What makes the Mexico City Grand Prix special – and why you should see it

The Mexico City Grand Prix is run more than 2km above sea level, where the thin air affects a car in several ways, not least the grip it can find in the corners – with a lap that winds through a former baseball stadium.

F1 first raced here for World Championship points in 1963, when Jim Clark won, and Mexico became the traditional season finale for the next few years. The race returned to the calendar in 2015, has carried the Mexico City name since 2021, and Max Verstappen has won it five times, more than any other driver.

Here is why the lap asks so much of a car, and why the race is worth watching from the first corner to the last.

Racing on thin air

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez was built in 1959 using the roads of the Magdalena Mixiuhca sports park, just east of central Mexico City, and is named after the racing brothers Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez. Its layout still largely follows the original, but the Peraltada corner is now cut in half, with the lap diverted into the stadium instead.

At this altitude, the thin air reduces the downforce a car can generate, so teams run their highest-downforce settings and the cars still feel short of grip. Pole position sits 830m from the braking point for Turn 1 – a long enough run for those behind to use the slipstream, or tow, from the car ahead.

The stadium is where the sport and the show meet, with the podium ceremony held there on Sunday. A lap here rewards commitment on the brakes and patience everywhere else.

When is the next Mexico City Grand Prix?

The 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix, the 19th round of the season, runs from Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November. Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 are held on Friday, Free Practice 3 and Qualifying on Saturday, and the Grand Prix, over 71 laps, on Sunday.

Check out the RACE HUB to see when each F1 session starts in your local time zone, wherever you are in the world.

What happened at the last Mexico City Grand Prix?

Lando Norris converted pole into victory for McLaren in 2025, leading from start to finish and crossing the line more than 30 seconds clear of Charles Leclerc. Four cars disputed the lead into the first corner, but Norris emerged ahead and was not challenged again. Verstappen chased down Leclerc in the closing laps, but the Ferrari driver held on by 0.725s, leaving Verstappen third for Red Bull. Ollie Bearman took a career-best fourth for Haas, holding off Oscar Piastri, whose fifth place meant Norris took the championship lead from his team mate by a single point.

Check out the RACE HUB to catch up on news, reports and highlights from every session of that season’s race.

Why we love the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

F1 cars first raced here in 1962, in a non-championship event, a year before the first Mexican Grand Prix to count towards the World Championship. The circuit measures 4.304km (2.674 miles) and has 17 turns, and the Grand Prix runs over 71 laps.

From the line, the cars run the length of the main straight to the first braking zone, then work through a series of heavy braking zones in the opening part of the lap before a looser middle sector. The final sector turns into the stadium, where spectators look down into the cockpits as the cars pass at low speed, before the last corners lead back onto the start/finish straight.

The fastest of those laps in a Grand Prix came in 2021, when Valtteri Bottas stopped for fresh tyres with a lap remaining and set the record of 1m 17.774s for Mercedes.

There is F1 track action on all three days of the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend, from practice on Friday to Qualifying on Saturday and the Grand Prix on Sunday. Supporting categories are in action on all three days too.

The weekend closes with an after-show in the stadium, featuring an international DJ set. The official race website carries the line-up and details of activities around the circuit, which are subject to change, along with guidance on reaching the circuit and on the city’s Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations.

For those following from home, details of how to watch every session are set out below.

Memorable moments in Mexico City

Mexico City has seen World Championships decided, a season wins record broken and a home driver on the podium.

Here is a selection of the moments that stand out.

2015 – On F1’s return to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Nico Rosberg led from pole, pit stops aside, to beat his Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton by 1.954s. Both Ferraris retired, the first time since 2006 that neither had been classified.

2017 – Polesitter Sebastian Vettel, Verstappen and Hamilton ran side by side to Turn 1. Contact on the opening lap left Vettel needing a new front wing and Hamilton with a puncture, dropping both to the back. Verstappen went on to win, while Hamilton’s ninth place was enough to seal his fourth title with two rounds to go.

2018 – Verstappen won for the second year running, and Hamilton again took the title in Mexico. Fourth place made him a five-time World Champion, joining Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as the only drivers to reach that mark.

2021 – Polesitter Bottas lost out as Verstappen swept around the outside of both Mercedes into the first corner, and the Red Bull driver went on to win. His team mate Sergio Perez finished third, 1.1s behind Hamilton, becoming the first Mexican driver to take an F1 podium at his home Grand Prix.

2022 – Verstappen won from pole for his 14th victory of the season, a new F1 record, moving one clear of the 13 achieved by Schumacher in 2004 and Vettel in 2013. Hamilton was second and Perez again finished third in front of his home crowd.

2024 – Carlos Sainz lost the lead to Verstappen at the start but reclaimed it after a Safety Car period, converting pole into the fourth win of his career. Behind him, Verstappen received two 10-second penalties for forcing Norris off the track as they fought for position, and finished sixth, while Norris took second.

How can I watch the Mexico City Grand Prix?

If you can make it to Mexico City, head to F1 Tickets to secure your place at the circuit. F1 Experiences has a range of premium ticket packages too, getting you closer to Formula 1 than ever before.

If you are watching from elsewhere, you can find details of the broadcaster in your area by clicking here.

You can also follow every session via F1 TV Pro (in selected countries only).