Excitement Awaits: A Sneak Peek at the 2015 Mexico Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton clinched the Formula One world drivers’ championship with his win in Austin, but he’s not taking it easy as he gears up for the Mexican Grand Prix on Sunday, November 1, 2015, in Mexico City. By securing the title, Hamilton joins the ranks of elite drivers who have won the championship three times or more. His Mercedes team also bagged the constructors’ championship.

The celebrations following what many call the most thrilling race of the season were slightly dampened by an upset Nico Rosberg. Rosberg had a chance at the title until this race, but whether it was due to his own error that allowed Hamilton to overtake him or Hamilton pushing him wide on the first lap, it remains unclear. This incident, now infamously dubbed “Capgate” after Rosberg threw his cap at Hamilton, is likely to linger in his memory.

The race was packed with action and surprises, leading to only twelve cars finishing. Noteworthy performances included Toro Rosso’s Carlos Sainz, who climbed from last place to seventh, and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who started 13th and finished third. The McLarens also showed improved speed, with Jenson Button finishing sixth.

Mexican Grand Prix
Although the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit has hosted grands prix as far back as 1963, it’s a new track for current drivers since the last race there was in 1992, won by Nigel Mansell. The track has been completely refurbished, so teams are somewhat in the dark about what to expect.

Named after the famed Mexican driving brothers Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez, the circuit stretches 4.3 kilometers, with 71 laps totaling a race distance of 305 kilometers. One of the challenges teams face is dealing with aerodynamics due to the circuit’s high altitude, which results in thinner air. Weather could also play a role, especially in the wake of Hurricane Patricia.

The 1.3-kilometer start-finish straight is expected to create overtaking opportunities, and the overall fast and flowing nature of the circuit has led Pirelli to choose soft and medium tires based on computer simulations. Like Austin, the track features an “esses” section between turns seven and eleven, with tricky final bends.

News From the Pitlane
Red Bull and its junior team Toro Rosso are still in a bind, trying to secure an engine supplier for next season. There have been allegations and denials about whether Mercedes had agreed to supply engines, and although talks with Honda took place during the US Grand Prix weekend, no deal has been reached yet. Red Bull is also advancing on their car for next season.

Renault remains a potential engine supplier, despite their past fallout with Red Bull. Renault has yet to finalize its acquisition of Lotus, possibly waiting for the Red Bull situation to resolve. Lotus confirmed that Pastor Maldonado will continue next season, joined by 2014 GP2 champion Jolyon Palmer, son of former F1 racer Jonathan Palmer.

Current Lotus driver Romain Grosjean is moving to the new Haas team next season, and it’s widely expected that Mexican driver Esteban Gutierrez will be announced as his teammate soon.

Standings After 16 Grands Prix
Constructors:
1. Mercedes – 574
2. Ferrari – 374
3. Williams – 220
4. Red Bull – 150
5. Force India – 102
6. Lotus – 70
7. Toro Rosso – 63
8. Sauber – 36
9. McLaren – 27
10. Manor Marussia – 0

Drivers:
1. Lewis Hamilton – 327
2. Sebastian Vettel – 251
3. Nico Rosberg – 247
4. Kimi Räikkönen – 123
5. Valtteri Bottas – 111
6. Felipe Massa – 109
7. Daniil Kvyat – 76
8. Daniel Ricciardo – 74
9. Sergio Perez – 64
10. Max Verstappen – 45
11. Romain Grosjean – 44
12. Nico Hulkenberg – 38