[jfxavier]

After the most exciting race of the year thanks to the hurricane season and especially Hurricane Patricia, Formula One returns to Mexico for the first time in 23 years at a reworked version of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, named after Mexico’s two most famous drivers: brothers Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez. Over 110,000 fans are expected to attend the race this weekend and show the love Mexico has for F1. The podium in USA looked very familiar for 2015, but the race itself was anything but predictable. Hopefully the weather will continue to mix things up and there will be another cracker of a race in Mexico where we could expect some of the driver's to be fearless as there in nothing to lose in 2015 anymore (Hint: Nico).



To add to the mix, with no real data from the current track Pirelli and the teams have relied on computer simulation to prepare for the race. The asphalt is new, giving the surface an oily film which will be slippery to begin with.

Timings (IST):



Circuit Data:



The layout consists of seven left-handers and 10 right-handers, but the 1.314km (0.816-mile) pit straight has perhaps the biggest influence on car set-up. To achieve a predicted top speed of over 200 mph, the cars will need to maximise a delicate trade-off between aerodynamic downforce and drag, and complicating matters further is the altitude. The circuit is located at 2,200 meters above sea level. The thinning of the air at altitude usually affects the power of an engine, but not so much for the turbo hybrid power units that force pressurized air through the T/C. The altitude effect might be different for different engines and hopefully will add to the drama.

Circuit length : 4.304km / 2.675 miles

Race distance : 71 laps (full world championship points awarded after 75 per cent distance/53 laps)

Run to Turn One : 800m / 0.497 miles

Longest straight : 1.314km / 0.816 miles, on the approach to Turn One

Pitlane length : 650 metres / 0.404 miles

Top speed : 328km/h / 204mph on the approach to Turn One

DRS zones : Two – The zones will be positioned on consecutive straights: the first on the long start/finish straight, and the second at the exit of turn three.

Gear changes 44 per lap / 3,124 per race

Full throttle : 45 per cent approx.

Fuel consumption : Low

Brake wear : Medium.
The biggest braking point is at the end of the pit straight, where the braking forces will exceed 5g

Tyres: Medium and Soft.



Expected performance gap between the two compounds: 1.3 seconds per lap (estimated).

Paul Hembery, Pirelli motorsport director:
“It’s very exciting for us to come to Mexico, to a brand new circuit but one that is steeped in tradition at the same time. Nominating the compounds for a new track is not without its challenges, but simulation – one of the most important areas of growth in Formula One technology recently – is very accurate now, although it’s inevitable that we would incline towards a more conservative choice during the first year at a new track. As always, we are still aiming for two pit stops at the Mexican Grand Prix, but the uncertain weather that is affecting a large part of North America during the next week or so will clearly have a big influence. The track has been designed with overtaking in mind, so together with the different options for strategy that will become clearer during a very important free practice day on Friday, there is clear potential for an entertaining race that allows drivers to move up through the field.”

History:
As the name suggests, the history of Mexico's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is interwoven with that of brothers Ricardo and Pedro Rodriguez. The former driving for Ferrari in 1961 aged just 19 provided the spark prompting the decision to build a 5-kilometre circuit in the public park in the east of Mexico City. In 1962 Mexican non championship race Ricardo Rodriguez entered in a Rob Walker-run Lotus 24 as Ferrari was not running. In qualifying, he crashed and was killed. The Mexican fans were devastated, but they soon discovered a new hero in Ricardo's younger brother Pedro. Already established in international sportscar racing, Pedro made only his second F1 start in the inaugural world championship Mexican Grand Prix in 1963. It was his success later that decade which helped build an incredibly fervent home support for the event.
For the stint between 1962 and 1970 the circuit was called the Magdalena Mixhuca after the park in which it is located in central Mexico City. The race in 1970 was attended by 200,000 fans who were very unruly and strained the circuit facilities. The race was nearly cancelled over fears for their safety, but eventually went ahead. A dog ran on to the circuit and was hit by Jackie Stewart, causing his retirement from the race. The race was dropped for the 1971 season in fear of a repeat. Safety improvements on both the circuit and the surrounding infrastructure, along with a much improved pit complex brought about the return of the Mexican Grand Prix in 1986. The circuit was renamed in honour of two fallen Mexican drivers; the Rodriguez brothers. Pollution issues in Mexico City, a struggling economy and political pressure contributed to the race falling from the calendar once again after the 1992 race. After multiple failed attempts to get Mexico back on F1 calendar, Mexican fans had to wait for billionaire Carlos Slim to throw his weight behind the Grand Prix bid before it’s place was secured again. The richest man in the world has led a total revamp of the circuit and facilities to once again make it a world class venue. The current circuit has been heavily revised, but still maintains plenty of the character of the original. The one sticking point for die-hard will be the loss of the Peraltada corner. This was a fearsome corner similar in character to the Parabolica at Monza but with minimal run-off before a solid concrete wall. The circuit is partly named in honour of Ricardo Rodriguez, a young Mexican Ferrari driver who lost his life at this corner in 1962. The cars would use the slight banking to gather incredible speed, exiting the corner at over 186 miles per hour.



The first half of the original Peraltada has now been replaced with a technical stadium section, similar to Hockenheim (based around an old baseball field), seating 25,000 fans who will get to see the cars up close jostling for position through the new hairpin complex.

Blasts from the Past:

1964 :



The three-way title fight between British drivers Jim Clark, John Surtees and Graham Hill came to a dramatic climax in Mexico. Hill led the championship going into the event but had a collision with Ferrari driver Lorenzo Bandini and dropped out of the running. Clark looked set to take victory and the title, only to grind to a halt on the final lap with engine trouble. Bandini ran ahead but moved over to allow Surtees, his team-mate, to take second position which was enough to steal the title by one point. No need to mention that Graham Hill was not the happiest person in the circuit that evening.

1968 :



Mexico decided another three-way battle for the driver’s championship between Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart and Denny Hulme. The race was an epic battle between the two Britons, with Hill passing Stewart for the lead. Stewart looked to fight back but an engine misfire developed and he dropped down the order. Hulme had crashed on lap 11 due to suspension failure, leaving Hill to take the victory and his second world title.

1990 :



This was arguably one of Alain Prost’s best races. After qualifying a lowly 13th in his Ferrari he drove a very determined race, working his way back up to the front, even overtaking his team-mate Nigel Mansell. Senna had led the race in his Mclaren, but a puncture ruined his race and forced his retirement. That left Prost to take an emphatic victory, but Gerhard Berger in the second Mclaren battled with Mansell and aggressively forced his way through with three laps to go. A fantastic scrap ensued, ending with an absolutely stunning move from Mansell around the outside of the fast Peraltada corner. This daring feat inspired the circuit organisers to rename what remains of the corner in his honour for the 2015 re-opening of the circuit.

What to expect in 2015?

All eyes will be on Lewis and Nico as the tensions between the two will be running very high after the turn one clash at COTA (and the ensuing cap-throwing saga before the podium).
It is very likely to be a very wet weekend due to the effects of Hurricane Patricia, which might play into the hands of the Red Bull drivers if they continue to gamble with the wet weather setup like in COTA.
The Force India of Sergio Perez will be the most watched car of the weekend and hopefully he will deliver a good result like he has been doing recently.



The official announcement is expected on Friday from Haas F1 that Ferrari-backed Mexican driver Esteban Gutierrez will rejoin the grid alongside Romain Grosjean for 2016, making it two Mexican drivers on the grid.

Trivia:

Lewis needs to lead for just 23 more kilometres to break through the 3,000km barrier for 2015. The next best driver - Sebastian Vettel - has racked up just 866km in the lead.

Mexico City is easily the highest altitude venue on the F1 calendar located at over 2,200m above sea level. Brazil’s Interlagos - the second-highest race location - is around 800m above sea level.

Richie Ginther claimed his only - and Honda’s first Grand Prix victory in 1965. In fact, the Japanese manufacturer has always fared well in Mexico, with Honda-powered cars having taken a record four victories and four pole positions in the country. However that record is unlikely to be improved upon
this weekend given the current form of McLaren Honda.

Constructors Championship:


Drivers Championship:

[jfxavier]

Team Previews:

Williams
Felipe Massa
"It's the first time I have ever been to Mexico so I am excited to go there. The track has a lot of history in Formula One, even though it has changed a little bit. I hear the tickets sold out in less than a week, so there is clearly a passion for motorsport. The track has a very long straight and some high speed corners, but also some very slow elements too. It is hard to say exactly what it will be like until we have driven it, but I am looking forward to it."
Valtteri Bottas
"The track and place is new to me, so I am looking forward to finding out more about both. I like spicy foods so that is one thing I am looking forward to. As a track it looks interesting with high and low speed corners and a very long straight. It will be interesting to see how the high altitude has an effect on the cooling of the cars but also its physical effects on me as a driver. I was too young to watch the race last time they were in Mexico, but the track has been changed. I hear there will be a lot of fans so I am looking forward to meeting them."
Rob Smedley, Head of Performance Engineering
"Mexico is an unknown for us all. It has been a while since Formula One has been there but as engineers we are looking forward to the challenge. We have to bounce back from a difficult Grand Prix in Austin and we are confident we can do that. We have to make sure we take away all the points that are on offer and play to our strengths to maintain the gaps to our rivals in the championships."

Mercedes
Lewis Hamilton
“Sunday in Austin is all a bit of a blur. The race was so, so crazy and it wasn't until a few moments after I crossed the line that I realised that I'd done it! To be honest, it still hasn't quite settled in. To match Ayrton in winning three titles was always a big ambition of mine and it just doesn't feel real. I can't express how grateful I am to everyone who made it possible - from my family to the team at the track and everyone back at the factories. I couldn't have done this without each and every one of them. Now, I'm even more pumped to get to Mexico. For many of us in the paddock - including the drivers - it's a new Grand Prix venue, and experiencing a new city and a new track is always exciting. Formula One has been racing in South America at the Brazilian Grand Prix throughout my career and the atmosphere there is just insane - plus we see thousands of Mexican fans every year in Austin. If they're anything to go by the crowds will be fantastic, so I'm really looking forward to seeing them all out there making plenty of noise. I can attack the final three races now with nothing to prove and nothing to lose, so the aim is absolutely to put my name down as the first Mexican Grand Prix winner of the modern era. After the Ushanka style hats we had on the podium in Russia and the Stetsons in America, I'm definitely hoping for a massive sombrero if I make it onto the podium!”
Nico Rosberg
“The Championship fight is over for me this year but I have three races left to make a big push, end this tough season on a high and make up for the disappointment of the past few races. My first chance is in Mexico and I'm sure everyone is really looking forward to the weekend. I love discovering new places and this one will definitely be a really interesting venue. If the Mexican fans we see in Austin are anything to go by, the atmosphere will be incredible! My father raced there once back in the 80's so maybe he can give me a few tips... although the circuit is very different now and so are the cars, so maybe that's not the best reference point! Data will be very important in Mexico, of course, as it's a track none of the current grid have driven before. Some of the more experienced engineers might know it - but the circuit and the cars will have changed so much since the sport last went there that it's basically like starting from zero. That's a big challenge and I'm looking forward to it. I've driven the circuit in the simulator to be as prepared as I can be, so let's see what we can do.”
Toto Wolff, Head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport
“The weekend in Austin was a very positive one for Formula One. On Saturday, we saw the paddock unite to put on a show for those fantastic fans who braved the weather to the very end. Sunday then produced arguably one of the most spectacular races of the modern era - not the easiest to manage on the pit wall, but incredible to watch as a spectator. A lot was said after the race about the relationship between our drivers and most of it was hot air. One of our boys won a world title on Sunday, and one lost it. If a few emotions boil over in that scenario, it's completely understandable and human. Like always, we will do the analysis of what happened on track as a team - but we will do it behind closed doors. We now head into the remaining three rounds with an interesting dynamic in prospect. We have a newly crowned three-time World Champion in Lewis, who fully deserved to retain his title this year and will want to cap off an impressive season in style. At the same time, Nico is embroiled in a close battle for the runner-up spot and will be determined to prove his mettle in the final few races before knuckling down for a fresh title challenge in 2016. As a racing fan, like we all are at heart, I am excited to see what the final phase of the season has to offer and hoping for an entertaining battle. We start with Mexico, which is a new venue to most of us and an important market for Mercedes-Benz. It's an exciting part of the world and we are all looking forward to our first taste of the country.”
Paddy Lowe, Executive Director (Technical)
“Austin was a somewhat unorthodox but ultimately spectacular weekend. Now, the next race sees a famous venue returning to the calendar after a long absence. Mexico is sure to provide a great challenge as none of the drivers - and I imagine not too many team members in the paddock - will have prior experience there. The circuit layout is an interesting one, with long straights but almost exclusively low-apex-speed corners. Top speeds will be amongst the highest of the season - despite more downforce being required than at Monza, for example. This is aided by the altitude of Mexico City which, at over 2,000 metres, reduces drag effect. The rarefied air density will all make cooling a challenge, and also means the turbocharger compressor must work harder in order to deliver equivalent power output to sea level. With a freshly laid track surface also to consider, it will be interesting to see how the cars behave and how the order plays out. We're all excited to be tackling the circuit and keen to leave our mark on another historic Grand Prix venue. I was actually working at the last Mexican Grand Prix in 1992 and one thing that stands out from my memories of previous races there is the enthusiasm of the spectators. This is a country with a great racing heritage, so fingers crossed we can put on another spectacular show!”

Force India
Sergio Perez
“The races in Russia and the United States have been an ideal way to prepare me for the return of my home race. A podium finish and a strong fifth place have given me a lot of confidence ahead of the final part of the season. I think there is more to come from us and I’m really looking forward to the final few races.
“Having the opportunity of driving in my home Grand Prix is something I never thought would happen. It will be one of the highlights of my career and I have no doubt that this race will become a modern classic of Formula One. Mexico has a lot of history in motorsport: the fans know the sport; they have a lot of enthusiasm and have been waiting a long time for Formula One to come back. I think everyone will have a great time.
“Racing in Mexico is, of course, very special for me, but at the same time I should not let this distract me from the fact that it is another race in which I will need to give 100% to bring home a good result. I am incredibly motivated to work hard with my team to have another race to celebrate.
“I had the chance to drive a lap of the new track layout recently and it’s a fantastic circuit. There are quite a few changes compared to the old layout when Formula One last raced there, but I don't think the circuit has lost any of its character. The new section in the stadium is spectacular and it will be such an incredible emotion to drive through there for the first time when it’s full of fans. There are a lot of fast sections, but at the same time you have a combination of fast, slow and medium-speed corners that make for a very varied lap.
“I am also happy to see the final corner has been named after Nigel Mansell. He is a hero to motorsport fans in Mexico and I admire all he has achieved. Nigel won the last race in Mexico in 1992 and produced one of the greatest overtakes of all times there, so it is right that he has been honoured in this way.”
Nico Hulkenberg
“When you have a bad result, the best way to bounce back is to get back in the saddle immediately. The race in Austin was frustrating as I felt it was a missed opportunity to score a lot of points, but that's racing. I have to get it out of the system and at least I get to be back in the car after just a few days.
“This week should be one of the most exciting in the season for us with lots happening on and off the track. We have a lot of Mexican partners and I think there will be a lot of attention on us so the expectations will be high. When we visited Mexico in January for our team launch, the whole country was incredibly supportive and enthusiastic, and it was the same last week when I was there for a charity event. They have been waiting for a Grand Prix for a long time and I am sure the circuit will put on a great event. I have even been trying to learn a bit of Spanish ahead of the race - even though by Sunday night all I want to say to the local press is "una gran carrera!"
“I am really looking forward to exploring the new track. I have never really driven on it properly - I just did a handful of laps in a road car on what was the old layout back in January. I have seen the map and a few videos, and the circuit seems to have a nice flow. There are a lot of medium-speed corners which is something drivers enjoy and some big straights that should generate some overtaking opportunities.”
Dr Vijay Mallya, Team Principal
“The race in Austin demonstrated the good level of form we are in at the moment. We have been competitive on every kind of circuit following the summer break and it was only some misfortune for Nico that prevented us from scoring well with both cars in Texas. Racing is often a game of maximising opportunities and we have been doing that only partially recently, but the next race is a good chance to realise our full potential.
“Mexico is, needless to say, a very important race for us. Checo enjoys a huge following in his home country and we have a large number of Mexican team partners, so we are determined to do well in front of them. When we visited the country for our team launch in January, I was delighted, but not surprised, by the support we received from the fans: we are proud to be welcomed as friends and will work hard to put on a fantastic show for everybody involved.
“We are now nearing the finishing straight of this season with our eyes firmly set on the objective of securing fifth in the constructors' championship. Being a new circuit, Mexico will provide additional challenges as we find our way to set up the cars, but we expect to be in our usual competitive position with the minimum objective being a good helping of points for both cars.”

McLaren
Fernando Alonso
“I really enjoyed the race in Austin and it was definitely one of the most exhilarating races for McLaren-Honda this year so far. It was a hard fight, but we didn’t give up. I hope we can repeat some of those battles in Mexico, but we’re expecting a tough fight on a circuit that on paper won’t suit our car.
“It’ll be interesting as we have no data from there so the conditions are unknown, which makes it pretty exciting. Going to a new Grand Prix at a venue that the current generation of F1 drivers hasn’t been to yet is going to be something special, especially as it already has a great reputation since the last time a race was held there.
“From what I’ve seen of the circuit, it looks like a great design with some interesting corners, and the combination of a high top speed and new asphalt will mean getting set-up right from the first possible moment will be very important to get the maximum downforce. It’s an exciting new chapter for Formula 1 and I’m looking forward to seeing where we are this weekend.”
Jenson Button
“Austin was an exciting race and the mixed conditions meant we were able to race on a more level playing field with our competitors until the track dried out towards the end. If the weather stays dry next weekend in Mexico, we know we’ll have a much more difficult grand prix on our hands, so we need to take the opportunity to gather as much data as we can and work on maximising our strategy for our car’s performance.
“The circuit itself looks really interesting - I remember as a kid watching some incredible battles there and the drivers hanging onto their cars around Peraltada, which looked mega, if a bit scary! It’s a shame that corner hasn’t been included in the new layout, but from what I’ve seen of the track and heard from others that have visited, it looks like it’ll be a fun challenge.
“The altitude is easily the highest we have to deal with at any Grand Prix on the calendar, so that in itself will be something new for all the teams to work with, and the fact this circuit has the second highest top speed after Monza will mean it won’t be easy for us. Saying that, having good balance and downforce in the car will be crucial so we’ll get stuck in with set-up and see how we fare on Friday morning. I’m really looking forward to going to a new Grand Prix venue and hopefully we can learn a lot this weekend and put on another good show.”
Eric Boullier, racing director, McLaren-Honda
“We go to Mexico on the back of securing some valuable points after a dramatic weekend in Austin, and the Mexican Grand Prix promises a whole new set of unknowns as we get to know a new circuit layout at an altitude of 2,200 metres. It’s certainly an exciting prospect for the thousands of fans we’ll get to see over the course of the weekend.
“This will be the first Mexican Grand Prix on the Formula One calendar since 1992, but many of our team members will remember at least one grand prix held there previously, and those who don’t will surely have heard about the circuit’s great legacy. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez holds special memories for both McLaren and Honda: Richie Ginther took Honda’s first-ever Formula One win there in 1965; Denny Hulme won for McLaren in 1969, and together McLaren-Honda dominated the Mexican Grand Prix in both 1988 and ’89, at the hands of Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna respectively.
“Although we have enjoyed past successes in Mexico, the 23-year break makes it feel like a new Grand Prix location, which always makes for a special weekend and a unique atmosphere as the form book is an exciting unknown. The characteristics of this track are definitely challenging, and it’s important that we get on top of set-up and tyre wear on the new asphalt as soon as possible. There’s a lot for all the teams to learn in a relatively short period of time, but, as a racer, I’m really looking forward to seeing how the weekend unfolds and hope that we see some great racing on this legendary circuit.”
Yasuhisa Arai, Honda R&D senior managing officer - chief officer of motorsport
“It is an honour to be back racing at Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, the track where Honda won its first F1 Grand Prix in 1965 with Richie Ginther behind the wheel.
“F1 technology, the circuit and Honda have all changed significantly since then, and this weekend's race will be a big challenge for all of the teams in the paddock. The track layout is new and we will all be working with newly acquired data gained from the free practice sessions. Plus, the turbocharger must work harder to maintain its usual output due to the increase in altitude, to push more air to the engine. Energy management will also be difficult, as the track consists of long straights and tight corners.
“As weather predictions go, the rain will be following us from Austin to Mexico City, so we will have to efficiently use the no-doubt limited running times to our advantage in car set-up. McLaren-Honda will work as one to balance both the power unit and chassis performance to its maximum potential to be ready for the race.”

Red Bull
Daniel Ricciardo
“I’ve only driven around the parts of the track that were finished in July [in a road car], so I’m not the authority on it! The very long main straight reminded me a little of Monza. And there are some flowing parts of the track which look quite interesting... but you can never tell until you drive a new circuit properly. It could go either way. I hope it’s fun!
“[Mexico City] was very cool. I love the food - I say that a lot don’t I? - and I love the passion of the people. It was quite a moment when we saw how many had turned up to watch us [at a Red Bull demo event] back in the summer, it really makes you do a double-take. I’m looking forward to spending more time there just so I can experience a bit more of the culture.”
Daniil Kvyat
“It’s always nice to visit a new place and to race at a new track. Mexico should be no different. The city looks nice - interesting culture and the food should be very good too.
“On paper it [the circuit] looks interesting. It looks like there are some good high-speed corners and the Esses section looks like it might be quite exciting. It obviously has a lot of history and they seem to have kept the old-school feel of it, which is good.
“I think Mexico has a pretty big heritage with Formula One and it seems like it’s one of those places that is really passionate about the sport, maybe a bit like Brazil. It should be a good weekend.”

Toro Rosso
Max Verstappen
“Well, I’ve never been to Mexico. The track is new for everyone – I’ve only driven it on the simulator - so it will be very challenging and a completely new experience which I’m looking forward to. Hopefully the track will suit our car.”
Carlos Sainz
“I remember when I went there earlier in the year for an event with Red Bull I ate some really good Mexican tortillas… Okay, it’s something I won’t do as much this time as I am on a diet during race weekends, but maybe on Sunday night we can have some!
"As [the track] is new nobody knows much about it really. While I was there it was still being built, but it looked very good, especially the part of the stadium, it looks pretty interesting. I really like the city, I look forward to visiting it again!”

Sources : FIA media kit, F1 website & team previews

[mayankk]

So the testing phase for teams which have closed the titles and standings begins!
This will be a bit anti climactic, i thimk, after the madness that was austin. I hope Nico gets some candy this time around. I hope. Also hoping for some more points for the boys in black, please!
What I wish for again is, though is :

[jfxavier]

Lewis has arrived early and started his preparations for the next cap throwing game.

https://youtu.be/Kf60JKnkUT0

[shyn]

This is interesting. So the high altitude, which was previously thought to slow the cars down will actually make them faster. Fastest actually, atleast in terms of top speed, taking the crown from Monza. The aero and performance to be revised to cope with the less dense air are to be thanked.

First, the problems to be faced:
Formula 1's engines will face a journey into the unknown at this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix, with the high altitude set to punish them like no other venue does.

The 2200-metre altitude of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez means the air is much thinner than other venues.

And that means that not only is cooling harder, but to recover lost power the turbos will need to be revved higher.

Renault's Remi Taffin says that the challenges are a world away from Sao Paulo – which is 750 metres above sea level – and have never been experienced in the modern turbo era.

Turbo unknowns

When asked by Motorsport.com about what particular challenges F1 will face, Taffin said: "The issue is going to be cooling for sure, because you have the same amount of energy getting out of the engine and much less air to cope with that.

"But the other thing is the turbo – because to try to maintain the power output you will need to rev the turbo much higher than we normally do.

"Obviously we have done a lot of simulation but we know that we are going to be going somewhere we don't really know…"

F1's turbo rules means they are currently limited to 125,000rpm, but to ensure reliability they are normally operated in the region of 100,000rpm.

Taffin says that taking it close to the regulatory limit will be a huge challenge - and could cause reliability problems.

"Most of the turbo chargers are running at 100,000rpm - so if you want to run it at 125,000rpm then it is a completely different design," he said.

Mixed form book

The fact that teams have to compromise aerodynamics for cooling, and risk reliability for increased turbo speed, means that there could be a form book change.

"We have a hard limit that we are trying to take over there, so that is why we are saying we could have some surprises," added Taffin.

"If a team has decided not to change the cooling layout then they will be forced to do things that will cost a lot of lap time.

"If an engine manufacturer has decided not to push too far the limit on the turbo maybe they will lose more than the other one. We don't know at the minute how far everyone will go.

"We are pretty sure that the turbo charger we use there will be put on the shelf after the race as we will push them like hell."

He added: "Maybe after Friday it will be a disaster. But everything that will happen should be a consequence of our decisions.

"If someone has decided not to change the cooling that you know what will happen. If someone has decided not to rev the turbo higher then they know what they will be losing and so on."
Source: http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/me...itory/?v=2&s=1

The result of which will be this:
Formula 1 cars look set to match, or even exceed, the highest top speeds of the season at the Mexican Grand Prix, according to early simulation data produced ahead of the race.

With the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez situated at 2200 metres above sea level, the less dense air is going to have a big effect on aerodynamic performance.

The analysis of its impact is that if teams can recover the loss of engine power by spooling their turbos to run higher than they normally do, then there is a chance that top speeds will mirror - or even beat - the 355km/h mark experienced at Monza.

And more intriguingly, the speeds could come despite teams running in high downforce configuration - because the less dense air means there is less of a drag drawback.

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier told Motorsport.com: "It is true we will be seeing cars with full downforce, but with Monza top speed levels."

Fruity speeds

Lotus technical director Nick Chester believes that the reduced drag will show with the high top speeds - especially along the main start-finish straight.

"The less dense air provides less downforce and drag than we would produce at sea level," he said. "Because of this we could see some pretty fruity speeds along the start-finish straight.

"Less dense air also means you can't cool everything you want to be cooled as well as would be the case at lower ground levels."

Engine challenge

The key to potentially delivering the top speeds will be in ensuring the engines continue to deliver their maximum power.

Mercedes chief race engineer Andrew Shovlin reckoned that Mexico would be an 'extreme' challenge for the engines.

"Mexico is going to present some very unique challenges for the Petronas Syntium engine oil," he explained in a preview published on behalf of the team's fuel supplier.

"The high altitude means you have very low cooling, so it is an extreme circuit – and that will be one of the biggest issues we face this weekend."
Source: http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1...exico/?v=2&s=1

[jfxavier]

The high latitude and the lesser air resistance will need lesser power to reach the max. speeds. the T/Charged engines will be impacted lesser due to the lower atm. pressure than the N/A engines. However, the normal operating point of these engines will not be optimized for this one off race being held at such a high altitude.
All said and done, the pecking order should not change much as everyone might be impacted similar in these conditions, unless someone has been running a much lower T/C rpm compared to others in normal circumstances.

here's some interesting bits from Thursday Press Conference organised by the FIA for the 2015 Mexican Grand Prix.



DRIVERS – Carlos SAINZ (Toro Rosso), Pastor MALDONADO (Lotus), Will STEVENS (Manor), Fernando ALONSO (McLaren), Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes), Sergio PEREZ (Force India)

You haven’t won it before with three races to go, you’ve only ever won it at the last, so what’s the plan for the rest of the season, still maximum attack?
LH: For me it’s always maximum attack, so we’ve still got these three races. For example, we’ve got the Mexican Grand Prix here, the first time in 23 years. I think it’s exciting for the Mexican people; it’s exciting for me, and as all us driver [feel], you love to have your stamp on the first race back here, so that’s the target and yeah, we’ve still got big races to win.

Thank you for that. Sergio, big week for you, busy week for you. Are you enjoying all the attention? Is it what you dreamed of?
SP: Yeah, it’s definitely a big dream for me to be able to race in my home country. It’s been more than 12 years since I raced in my country, so definitely it’s going to be the biggest day of my career on Sunday, because to race in front of my whole people, all my country, it’s something very special. You know how Mexicans are. So, it’s going to be the most special day of my career, no matter what result I get on Sunday. I really hope that we can have a great result and cheer all the fans that are doing the effort to come. But definitely it’s just going to be a dream come true on Sunday to race in front of my crowd.

You’re on a bit of a roll right now in terms of performance, so you’ve got a lot of confidence coming into this race. It’s the perfect time to have it for you, isn’t it?
SP: Yeah, definitely, we’ve been having a very good couple of races; the last six have been really strong for us. I think there is a very good chance we can keep up the momentum. I’m looking forward to do that and try to score as many points as possible on the weekend for the team and for all the people who are coming to see me on Sunday.

Thank you. Fernando, you drove a great race for little reward unfortunately in Austin, but you’re clearly not lacking motivation. Where do you think that inner steel, that inner strength from?
Fernando ALONSO: Well, I think the team is doing a good job and everyone is pushing to improve the situation. All the new parts that we bring to the races they seem to deliver what we expect from them. Definitely there is a very nice direction in the team this year. It has been tough; it has been frustrating at times. But we kept all united, we kept all moving in one direction, one team and for next year I think we are putting some of the problems we had this year in [their] place for next year. So you keep enjoying racing and when the circuit suits a little bit our car there is a little bit of extra motivation and we push a little bit harder. It was the case in Austin, where we felt more competitive in all sessions over the weekend. In the race as well, it has been probably the best race of the year for me, Austin. In the first 20 laps I think in nine of them was quicker than Lewis and this didn’t happen for the past two years and a half! So this was very good news and definitely I enjoyed the race and, as you said, zero points for an issue in the last 10 laps but it was definitely a different feeling compared to the rest of the year.

You’ve said you think McLaren can find two and a half seconds over the winter. What makes you so confident, what have you seen?
FA: Well, I think the lack of performance we have in some areas of the car are quite fundamental issues that should have a not too difficult answer, let’s a say, or not too difficult a solution. It’s just we need to copy the direction everyone has apart from us. It’s some of the time that we feel we will recover with not much penalty, because for the others they already have it in their package. So some of the performance gain we expect will come for free but it’s true that all the competitors will work very hard over the winter and they will recover a couple of seconds also, so we need to make an extra, but we are feeling optimistic, we feel confident of next year being very competitive. We are realistic at the same time. We understand that in Formula One there are no magic things for being one year out of Q1 and the next year fighting for the championship – that’s a very, very optimistic target but we will try our best.

Thank you. Pastor, what can you tell us about your race in Austin? You managed to avoid all chaos and end up in the points.
Pastor MALDONADO: Yeah, to be honest it was quite difficult from the set-up and balance point of view with the car during the entire race. We were not as quick as expected, as always, during the race. But yeah, when I saw the people fighting in the front, I was very cautious and trying to get the places from other car mistakes and yeah it was quite clean from my side and very consistent. At the end, P8. For sure we were expecting something but a few more points. It’s important for us at this stage of the season, so looking forward to continuing like this and going in the points.

[jfxavier]

After getting to terms with the fresh tarmac and several excursions off the track, the teams got down to some serious running in the FP2 session.



Various aero testing programs were done and McLaren even managed to replace Button's PU in between FP1 & FP2.

Here's the FP2 classification.

[myavu]

Mexico has become the fastest circuit on the calendar after Lewis Hamilton clocked a top-speed of 362.3km/h (225mph) during the opening practice session for the Mexican Grand Prix.

Source: http://www.grandprixtimes.com/news/display/10841

Cheers!

Vinu

[SilentEngine]

Originally Posted by jfxavier

Timings (IST):

Attachment 1432525

Are the above timings right? This is what I got in website:

[a*ed]

Originally Posted by SilentEngine

Are the above timings right?

According to the Programs listing on Star Sports 4, Qualifying is scheduled for 0030-0130 IST.

[D33-PAC]

Horrible strategy by FI. Should have let both the cars out early in Q3. What were they thinking ? The Q1 and Q2 performances were better but they blew it when the time that matters most came !

[ashwin.terminat]

This is how the cars will start tomorrow after the penalties:



Three former world champions will close out the last three positions!

[jfxavier]

Originally Posted by SilentEngine

Are the above timings right? This is what I got in website:Attachment 1433380

Originally Posted by a*ed

According to the Programs listing on Star Sports 4, Qualifying is scheduled for 0030-0130 IST.

Thanks for pointing out the mistake in my original post.
You are right.

The timing of the race is from 00:30 Hrs. IST on Monday.

Apologies if you had to be in front of the telly for an extra hour.

[shyn]

Vettel, you cheeky bugger!
https://mobile.twitter.com/f1fanatic...59554078375937

[a*ed]

Originally Posted by shyn

Vettel, you cheeky bugger!
https://mobile.twitter.com/f1fanatic...59554078375937

(Livio Oricchio - Globo Esporte) Lewis and Nico, there's no way not to ask you (this question) considering what we saw in the last few races; will there be any conversation between you both considering the start tomorrow?

NR:*It's no different, you know, it's always going to be a battle and what's in the past is in the past and now we move forward, it doesn't change.

LH:*The same as he's just said.

SV:*Can you make sure you take both of you out so I can go through? Yes? No? I tried.