Aerial view of Mexico City in golden light with volcanoes on the horizon

27 October 2026

High speeds at high altitude.

In the second of three successive race weekends, Audi Revolut F1® Team is heading to Mexico City for a carnival atmosphere at high altitude.

Audi Revolut F1® Team’s exploration of the Americas continues, with the second of three consecutive race weekends bringing us right into the heart of Mexico City. Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez awaits, with the longest run to Turn 1 and the highest altitude raced at all season.

The team narrowly missed out on points on its first visit to COTA last weekend with two recovery drives from Nico and Gabi. Starting from the back of the grid after taking on new power unit components, Gabi recovered to 13th place by the chequered flag. An anti-stall issue at the start dropped Nico to 15th and he drove back to 11th place by the end, just a few seconds away from the final points-paying positions.

It has been just over a decade since Mexico returned to the Formula 1® calendar. The event’s revival marked the start of Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez’s third stint on the schedule. Its first, from 1963 to 1970, saw three drivers’ titles secured at the venue, while home star Pedro Rodriguez brought in fans in their masses.

Aerial view of the Mexico City skyline at dusk with mountains in the distance

The event was discontinued in 1971 before returning during the turbocharged era. Returning in 1986, the likes of Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell all secured victories here in the track’s second spell in F1®. Mansell famously pulled off one of the sport’s most iconic passes on the final lap of the 1990 Mexican Grand Prix, passing Gerhard Berger on the final lap around the fearsome Peraltada turn to secure second place in the race.

After a 23-year hiatus Mexico was back on the calendar in 2015, on a renovated version of the track. Hermann Tilke’s new vision for the track included a new stadium section, which passes through the Foro Sol at slow speed, giving fans a chance to see the cars up close.

Mexican flag flying above packed grandstands in the Foro Sol stadium section at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

High pressure, high altitude.

During the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix, Valtteri Bottas reached a top speed of 372.499 km/h on the main straight. It remains the fastest ever speed recorded during a Grand Prix.

Mexico City sits over 2,200 metres above sea level. The thinner air means that the R26 will experience significantly lower aerodynamic drag at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, and maximum-downforce wing packages will not impact the car as much as experienced at other, lower altitude, circuits.

The reduced air density creates a slightly different challenge for the car, making cooling and power delivery vital. Finessing traction and braking stability on a track which features both heavy braking zones and lower speed sections will be key for a successful weekend.

Freddie Slater of the Audi Driver Development Programme fitting an earpiece in an Audi Revolut F1® Team race suit

Freddie’s F1® weekend debut.

It’s a particularly exciting weekend for the Audi Driver Development Programme. Freddie Slater will make his Formula 1® weekend debut in Free Practice 1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix. He’ll also be in the R26 in the same session at next week’s São Paulo Grand Prix.

After finishing as runner-up in the Formula 3 championship this season, Freddie is set to make the next step on the junior ladder in 2027 as he joins Invicta Racing for his debut Formula 2 campaign. This weekend marks a first opportunity for Freddie to have valuable on-track experience on a Grand Prix weekend.

Freddie Slater of the Audi Driver Development Programme in an Audi Revolut F1® Team race suit and cap

Close-up detail of Freddie Slater's helmet and cockpit area inside his FIA Formula 3 car, highlighting Audi-backed driver branding and race equipment.

Mexico City in numbers.

Circuit
Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
Location
Mexico City
Circuit Length
4.304 km
Race distance
305.354 km
Number of laps
71
First Grand Prix
1963
Fastest race lap
1:17.774, Valtteri Bottas, 2021
2026 weekend format
Standard weekend

Fans filling the grandstands of the Foro Sol stadium section at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City

Colourful Mexico City painted run-off area and red and white kerbs at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

Where the action happens in Mexico.

Turn 1

The first lap at the Mexico City Grand Prix can be chaotic! With over 800 metres from the grid to the first corner, this is the longest run to Turn 1 on the entire calendar. Carefully picking your braking point is essential – trips across the gravel on Lap 1 are common.

Turn 4

Turn 4 is one of the best overtaking opportunities at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Following the circuit’s second-longest straight, the 90-degree left-hand turn takes the drivers into one of the track’s slower, stadium-like sections. Braking down to under 100 km/h, side-by-side action is almost a guarantee at this turn.

Turn 13

While Turn 12 can be an outside chance for making a move, it’s inside the Foro Sol where passes are more likely. This is a highly technical section, where drivers brake to the lowest speed on the circuit.

New heights.

Gabi’s first visit to Mexico City last year was a success. Despite exiting in Q1 and starting 16th on the grid, he recovered to score a point with a tenth place finish. Nico has scored points on five of his previous eight appearances at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, with a best result of sixth place in 2018.

Audi Revolut F1® Team is ready to take its debut season to new heights on its first visit to vibrant Mexico City.

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