For the first time since 1992, the Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix will be held. It is one of just a few Grand Prix to be held at the same venue on every occasion. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, in Mexico City is named after the talented Rodriguez brothers, who both lost their lives behind the wheel of racing cars. With not only one of the longest straights on the calendar but also a unique feature in bypassing a baseball stadium, the famous circuit is a welcome return to the calendar. However, over the years it has changed a few times for Formula One, Champ Car and A1GP. The ‘Tilke-ised’ version features a lot of traditional Tilke aspects to it, but the original layout was fast-flowing, tricky and had one of the most fearsome corners on the F1 calendar.
1962: Magdalena Mixhuca
The first Mexican Grand Prix was held over fifty years ago back in 1962 back when the circuit was known as Magdalena Mixhuca. The original first corner was a fast right-hander which led into a tight chicane. From then on, the back straight into Ese do Lago remained the same as in the latter variation of the circuit, before the cars navigated a tight hairpin at the top of the circuit. From then on, the cars navigated the Eses before heading onto the back straight and then onto the fearsome Peraltada corner. At five kilometres, it was the longest variation of the track used. These features can be seen in the video below:
1980: The First Champ Car Era
Between 1980 and 1985, Champ Car racing would take place on the track. Whilst more details about how the track changed will be covered in the section below, this variation of the circuit simply cropped out the top part of the circuit, going straight from the Recta Trasera onto the Eses.
1986: Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Formula One returned to Mexico back in 1986, and ran seven Grand prix between then and 1992. It became a strong hunting ground for both Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell, who both took two wins here. The circuit used features which more resemble the track which will be used this weekend. The first section was changed into a tricky right-left-right sequence, before heading onto the second straight. The Ese do Lago was opened up a little bit before hitting the major shortened part of the circuit. The main Eses were opened up a little bit more to make the section more fast-flowing and the mighty Peraltada retained its famous character. Below is an onboard and arguably Nigel Mansell’s most famous overtake:
2002: The Second Champ Car Era
Formula 1 presence in Mexico would be absent from 1992 but ten years after the final Grand Prix, Champ Car took the centre stage. Two variations of the circuit were used between 2002 and the unification of the series with the Indy Racing League in 2008. The first of these layouts did something which the Grand Prix cars will do this year and bypass the stadium section, completely neutering the Peraltada. The second of these layouts ran the old Grand Prix circuit from the late-1980s, but featured a very tight chicane before the Peraltada. A1GP also used this layout. Onboards are from Robert Doornbos in 2002, and the late Justin Wilson in 2006.
2005: NASCAR
Mexico was one of the few road courses used by NASCAR in its long history. Like the classic CART layout, it bypassed the tight section at the top of the part. In addition, a chicane was used on the main straightaway, only to be removed for 2007.
2015: Tilke-isation
The circuit has gone under a massive amount of change ahead of a return to Formula One racing in 2015. Whilst usually being redone by Herman Tilke usually implies that the track has been completely ‘ruined’, I believe that he has done a really solid job with the Mexican Grand Prix circuit. Many of the corners are now sharper, some slower, and there is a major change at the end of the lap. The first corners are significantly sharper, allowing for better overtaking opportunities. The Ese do Lago and the hairpin are much slower, and the Eses are now sharper, as opposed to longer corners. The main change however is at the end of the lap, with the cars now heading into a tricky Micky-Mouse section before heading onto what was the Peraltada, but has now been renamed “Mansell”.
With these changes, not only will Formula One be held on the new track, but the first 6 Hours of Mexico City and the first Mexico City ePrix are also expected to take place in 2016.
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