After over two decades without a Grand Prix in Formula One, Mexico returns to the calendar this season. All teams will be starting from square one, having only raced the newly redesigned Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on simulators.
The circuit has proven to be extremely fast, with the speed trap showing speeds of over 360km/h. This track is completely different from the circuit used in 1992, being completely redesigned. Teams will have to take any information from the 1992 Mexican Grand Prix and throw it out the window, as it will be virtually useless. The circuit itself has the longest runs to turn one on the calendar. That means that the cars that are able to accelerate the fastest will have an advantage off the grid. There are many long, high speed straights that lead into tight corners. This means that the brakes will be under extreme pressure, making overheating a serious threat.
Another issues facing drivers is the low grip levels. Because the surface is new, it is very slippery. “As usual on a new surface, there’s a very shiny new top layer of oil and grease that makes it very hard to find traction,” explains Pirelli’s motorsport director, Paul Hembery. “As time goes on, the top of the surface eventually gets grated away and more rubber is laid down: but this doesn’t happen instantly.”
The top three for this race should be pretty standard. Because the circuit is so fast, the more powerful Mercedes and Ferrari cars have an advantage. That means that Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel could pull away from the rest of the cars off of the grid during the long run to turn one. From there, it should be the same as usual with Hamilton leading the Mercedes 1-2 finish and Vettel claiming the bottom step of the podium.
As we leave the front of the grid and work our way back, we see the unusual sight of the Red Bull cars. Despite having a Renault engine that the team has insulted all season long, they have found the performance to, not only qualify in the top five, but also set times in all of the free practice session worthy of a top five. Daniel Ricciardo should be able to hold onto fourth position, but it doesn’t look good for Daniil Kvyat. He performed really well in the sessions this weekend, but that was also the case last weekend in America. At the United States Grand Prix, it was downhill for him following the first safety car, so it’s clear that he not yet capable of hanging with the front runners.
The final position of the Racing Clothesline top five prediction table goes to Valtteri Bottas. He has been extremely consistent in all of the practice sessions and the qualifying. His teammate, Felipe Massa, has also been quite consistent, but starts from the row behind Bottas, giving the Finn the advantage during the first lap shuffle. Bottas has also shown that he is capable of maintaining a top five finishing position in the current Williams car.
Overall, it will be a great race on Sunday. We went into the weekend not really knowing what to expect, but I think that the action we’ve saw so far was really a sign of things to come in the race.
