As the name suggests, the history of Mexico’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is interwoven with the legends of the country’s famous racing brothers Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez.
It was the former’s emergence in 1961, driving for Ferrari aged just 19, that provided the spark, prompting the decision to build a 5-kilometre circuit in the public Magdalena Mixhuca park in the east of Mexico City.
But the Rodriguez brothers’ story was also one of tragedy. Plans for the newly-constructed circuit to host Formula One racing in 1962 were not realised, but a non-championship event went ahead and the teams duly gathered at the venue at the end of October.
With Ferrari not in attendance, Ricardo Rodriguez entered in a Rob Walker-run Lotus 24. In qualifying, he crashed and was killed.
Nevertheless Mexico would become the traditional end-of-season event in the late ’60s, but while Pedro scored a breakthrough F1 win in 1967, home success continued to elude him as Richie Ginther, Surtees, Clark, Graham Hill, Denny Hulme and Jacky Ickx triumphed through to 1970.
The latter’s triumph would also be the last race held in Mexico for more than a decade. Two years later, Pedro would lose his life in a sportscar race in Germany.
It was not until 1986 that Formula 1 would return to Mexico City. Led by Jose and Julian Abed, the venue was revamped and the circuit slightly revised, with a new profile at Turn 1 and a shortened hairpin section.
It remained a great challenge, however, and not just because of the curling, banked final corner of Peraltada. The high altitude continued to place a unique demand on engines, while the rough surface was difficult to master – and became an increasing problem over the following years.
Gerhard Berger sprang a surprise in that ’86 race by collecting his and Benetton’s first Grand Prix win. A year later victory went to Nigel Mansell, although the race had to be stopped after the bumpy surface led to a massive crash for Derek Warwick.
One year later Philippe Alliot suffered an even bigger accident in practice, although he was thankfully able to crawl unhurt from the wreckage.
Alain Prost won the race, a feat he repeated in 1990, sandwiching Ayrton Senna’s only triumph on the circuit. The Brazilian would fall victim to the unpredictable surface in 1991, rolling after losing the rear of his McLaren over the Peraltada bumps in qualifying. Riccardo Patrese won for Williams, and one year later followed team mate Nigel Mansell home.
That would be the final Grand Prix held on the circuit – which still hosted a number of national and international championships over the subsequent years – until a return to the Formula One calendar was sealed for 2015 after an injection of both private and government money.
The facility was comprehensively upgraded, with the entire track resurfaced for the occasion and changes made to a number of corners including Peraltada. The event was a huge hit with drivers and fans alike, proving that Mexico still has a very strong appetite for all things F1.
Statistics for Sunday’s Mexican Grand Prix in Mexico City (round 18 of 20 races):
- Lap distance: 4.304km. Total distance: 305.354km (71 laps)
- 2016 pole: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes One minute 18.704 seconds.
- 2016 winner: Hamilton
- Race lap record: Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:20.521 (2015)
- Start time: 1900 GMT (1300 local)
Championship Title
- Mercedes have clinched their fourth constructors’ championship in a row.
- Hamilton need finish only fifth to secure his fourth crown, even if Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel wins. That will make him the fifth four times champion after Michael Schumacher (seven), Juan Manuel Fangio (five), Alain Prost and Vettel (four each).
- Three drivers have previously secured the title in Mexico: John Surtees (1964), Denny Hulme (1967) and Graham Hill (1968).
- If Hamilton succeeds on Sunday then he will have won championships in four different countries, the others being Brazil (2008), Abu Dhabi (2014), United States (2015).
Race Victories
- Hamilton has 62 victories from 205 races and is second in the all-time list behind Schumacher (91). Vettel has 46.
- Mercedes have won 11 of 17 races this season.
- Ferrari have won 228 races since 1950, McLaren 182, Williams 114, Mercedes 75 and Red Bull 54. Former champions McLaren and Williams have not won since 2012.
- Hamilton has won nine times this season, Vettel four. Valtteri Bottas has won two and Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen one each.
Pole Position
- Hamilton has an all-time record 72 career poles.
- Mercedes have been on pole 13 times in 17 races: Hamilton 11 times and Bottas twice.
- Vettel has had three poles this season and his Ferrari team mate Kimi Raikkonen one.
- Vettel could take the 50th pole of his career this weekend. Only three drivers have achieved that so far.
Podium
- Hamilton has 116 podiums and is second on the all-time list behind Schumacher (155). Vettel has 97, Raikkonen 89.
- Hamilton has 12 podiums this season, Vettel 11 and Bottas 10. Ricciardo has had nine, the most he has ever scored in a single campaign.
Points
- Hamilton is 66 points clear of Vettel.
- Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson is the only driver yet to score this season of those who have started every race.
- Hamilton has 22 scoring finishes in a row, the longest such run of his career. Raikkonen holds the record of 27. Hamilton and Force India’s Esteban Ocon are the only drivers to have finished every race so far.
Mexico
- Force India’s Sergio Perez is the only Mexican driver.
- Only four Mexicans have started their home race: Perez, Esteban Gutierrez (2016), Pedro Rodriguez (1963-1970) and Moises Solana (1963-68).
- Rodriguez’s brother Ricardo was killed on the first day of practice for the non-championship Mexican Grand Prix in 1962. The circuit is named after them.
- Sunday will be the 18th time Mexico has held a championship grand prix.
- Only Mercedes drivers have won at the circuit since it returned to the calendar in 2015: Nico Rosberg first and then Hamilton last year. The pair also locked out the front row on both occasions.
- That makes Hamilton the only driver on the current grid to have secured pole or won in Mexico.
- The circuit is the highest altitude of any on the calendar (2,200 metres above sea level) and the pit straight is one of the longest in Formula One.
Milestones
- The United States Grand Prix saw Hamilton break Michael Schumacher’s all-time record for front row starts with his 117th.
- Canadian Lance Stroll (Williams) will celebrate his 19th birthday on race day.
- Mercedes are only the fourth team to win the constructors’ title for four years in a row. Austin was their 75th win and they also celebrated a 150th podium finish.
- Ocon is the first driver ever to finish all of his first 26 grands prix. The Frenchman has missed out on points only once this season.