Again-to-back races in Austin and Mexico Metropolis present two particular venues with big crowds, however the monitor traits couldn’t be extra completely different. At over 7,200ft above sea stage, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is a singular check, and this weekend’s information to the problem it supplies is native hero Pato O’Ward, who will likely be participating in FP1 once more for McLaren.
“The primary factor about it’s the total downforce of the automobile is considerably decrease, so the automobiles will really feel like they do not have the identical quantity of grip as they all the time do. I’ll say the highest speeds are actually excessive as effectively, due to the air not being so dense. Cooling is a matter due to the altitude, so the engines battle to breathe slightly bit extra.
“However by way of the monitor, it is acquired lots of slow-speed, tight and twisty stuff, it’s acquired some very heavy braking zones, and it’s acquired one sector that’s fairly excessive velocity.
“For me, coming from an IndyCar, it nonetheless feels very quick. To me, it would not really feel prefer it’s underwhelming. No, it is nonetheless fairly the other. It nonetheless appears like it could actually do much more than what I am used to. However it’s a very nice monitor.
“I’d say for the followers, it is a monitor you could actually recognize all of the those that come, as a result of all of the sections have their very own character. All people’s tremendous full of life and so they’re excited to be right here. After I end my session, I am going to positively wave after I get to the stadium part, as a result of it is fairly particular.
“By way of key sections, Turns 7 by way of 11 are fairly difficult, since you do have to belief the automobile. You have to throw in there and imagine that it may do it. However it’s additionally an space that the automobile will chunk in the event you get grasping, as we have seen previously. So I’d say that part is sort of simply the one that may make or break your lap.
Gradual and twisty corners encourage aggression, however O’Ward cautions it is easy to overplay that hand. Hector Vivas/Getty Photos
“After that part, you might have the ultra-slow stadium part, Foro Sol. It invitations you to push a lot more durable, however the grip is not there to do it. So I might say that is most likely the worst a part of destroying your lap, as a result of in the event you get every little thing proper and then you definately screw it up there, effectively, it ain’t going to be good. And it’s in entrance of so many followers!
“I would not say the FP1 situations are notably robust. Clearly rubber will get laid down by way of the weekend. However there’s additionally lots of lap time development by way of weight and simply the gas hundreds.
“As a result of FP1, at the least for us, it is not gentle gas in any respect. And lots of the instances you are extra conservative in what you are exploring. However I’d say as quickly as you begin tapering down on the gas ranges and also you begin giving the engine extra energy, that lap time simply routinely involves you. The grip itself on sluggish velocity, I would not say it is like evening and day distinction.
“Setup-wise, in the event you’re working very stiff, it’s how far are you able to go till the automobile begins to really feel just like the oscillation is just too aggressive. I’d say it is a positive line with how low do you wish to go. Are you dragging an excessive amount of on the straights? As a result of the straights are very lengthy.
“So I believe there’s positively a positive line there the place it is not simply go as little as you may and push. There’s positively a state of affairs the place it is an excessive amount of. So you need to attempt that in P1 and that is going to be my job.
“It’s not essentially max downforce, both, truly. I imply, it is clearly not going to be like Monza. I do not know precisely what specs I am utilizing or have been utilizing in different tracks, however I do know that I’m attempting various things to what Oscar [Piastri] is downforce-wise, so we’ll see the place that leads us.”
AT A GLANCE
Race distance: 71 laps/189.9 miles
2024 pole time: 1m15.946s (Carlos Sainz, Ferrari)
2024 winner: Carlos Sainz, Ferrari
Pirelli tire allotment: As was the case in Austin final weekend, for the Mexican spherical there may be once more a leap within the compound choice between the toughest of the three and the medium. Whereas the Medium and Mushy are the C4 and C5 respectively, as in 2024, the Onerous will now be the C2. For the Mexico Metropolis monitor, this compound is a particularly conservative alternative, with a substantial delta by way of lap time in comparison with the opposite two, whereas additionally providing much less grip.
Final 12 months, the Mushy solely got here into play in qualifying after which within the race, solely in an try to safe the additional level for setting the quickest race lap, however now the state of affairs might change significantly. The benefit available from the C4 and C5 might in truth lead the groups to goal for a race run predominantly on these compounds. Nonetheless, that comes with the chance of presumably having to make a second pit cease due to degradation. Anybody selecting the C2 might comparatively comfortably handle an extended stint, going for a one-stop on the way in which to the checkered flag, though it entails a discount in efficiency.
Using the 2 softest compounds will definitely be rigorously evaluated through the three free apply classes, when groups will be capable to run lengthy stints with full gas hundreds and test the situation of the tires. Traditionally, graining ranges in Mexico are fairly pronounced, because the skinny air at altitude reduces the quantity of aerodynamic downforce that the automobiles can produce.
On a monitor that already provides little grip attributable to its restricted use, the tires have a tendency to slip, which ends up in graining. It should even be attention-grabbing to see whether or not the larger resistance to this phenomenon supplied by the present compounds will assist restrict it and due to this fact profit those that are masters of tire administration.
MEXICO CITY GRAND PRIX WEEKEND SCHEDULE (all instances ET):
Friday, October 24
2:25pm – 3:30pm – Free Apply 1, ESPNU
5:55pm – 7:00pm – Free Apply 2, ESPNews
Saturday, October 25
1:25pm – 2:30pm – Free Apply 3, ESPNews
4:55pm – 6:00pm – Qualifying, ESPNews
Sunday, October 26
4:00pm – 6:00pm – Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix (71 laps or 120 minutes), ABC
