GRAN PREMIO DE MÉXICO

[Scott]

Like Monza but with more curvy bits...here's the Wiki link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Grand_Prix

AUTÓDROMO HERMANOS RODRÍGUEZ

23 years left vacant.  Highest altitude of a GP circuit in 2015 - Button has said this will hurt them with the thin air.  Top speed is expected to be 330kph.  Weather is expected to be mixed with leftover precip of Patricia.

Pirelli to bring White and Yellow tires
71 laps
4.3km
Race Distance 305km
2 DRS zones, one right after the other in sector 1

At first I was thinking of picking Nico with the idea that Hamilton will gift him the race for being such a good sport.  Then I thought again.  It's a long high speed track, so I'm giving it to the Merc's and Hamilton in front.

Pirelli's preview video:


 

[Andy B]

I too expect Lewis to perform well as his confidence keeps growing.
It'll be interesting to see what difference the altitude makes to the power units and how many implode as the turbo's are going to work much harder.

[John S]

Yeah that's the big interest for the actual race Andy.

The altitude will reduce the performance of the turbos considerably and the only way to mitigate this is to increase the speed they operate at. The regs allows the turbo to spool up to 125,000 revs although all the teams - according to websites that should know - only run at around a 100k to ensure reliability so it's unknown territory higher.

Now who is going to be brave enough to push the turbo to possible destruction, or will all of them up the game and we may only get a handful of cars at the end? 

I guess midfield teams could hedge their bets, as they often do on tyre strategies, and make one car the Hare and the other the Tortoise. 

I also like the feature on the track that takes it through the grandstands, also can't wait to see just how much of a challenge they've left on the neutered Peraltaldo.   

 

[cosworth151]

I've been looking forward to this race. It used to be a very good track. It will be interesting to see how much of that survived it's Tilke-ization.

[Jericoke]

I always look forward to races after the titles have been decided.  Sure, there is still plenty to race for in the midpack, but up until now Lewis has been focused on points.  Keeping risks down because a podium is better than a DNF.  With nothing to lose, are we going to see what Lewis can truly do out there?

[J.Clark]

I'm wondering if we will have another wet race, or if the weather will have any impact on the weekend at all.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is not a single current driver who has raced here before in a Formula 1 car.  It could be that someone not usually up front could emerge as a surprise with a great performance.

[F1fanaticBD]

I'm wondering if we will have another wet race, or if the weather will have any impact on the weekend at all.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is not a single current driver who has raced here before in a Formula 1 car.  It could be that someone not usually up front could emerge as a surprise with a great performance.

Unfortunately the simulators has mitigated such performance to a large extent, what a pity..

[Scott]

...or whether the weather will make much difference... 

[J.Clark]

I also noticed an interesting difference at this circuit with regard to DRS.  There is one detection point for allowing use in both zones.  This could, realizing there is no guarantee, there could be more over-taking on track as a result.

Thundershowers likely in the afternoon on both Saturday and Sunday so the question becomes, at what time (?) I suppose.
http://www.accuweather.com/en/mx/mexico-city/242560/weekend-weather/242560

[Jericoke]

I'm wondering if we will have another wet race, or if the weather will have any impact on the weekend at all.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is not a single current driver who has raced here before in a Formula 1 car.  It could be that someone not usually up front could emerge as a surprise with a great performance.

Unfortunately the simulators has mitigated such performance to a large extent, what a pity..

Eliminating the simulators will keep costs down AND make races more interesting.

[J.Clark]

FFP 1 resutls:
1.  Verstappen    Toro Rosso   1m 25.990
2.  Kvyat      Red Bull   1m 26.295
3.  Raikkonen   Ferrari   1m 26.295
4.  Vettel      Ferrari   1m 26.886
5.  Ricciardo   Red Bullt   1m 27.185
6.  Rosberg      Mercedes   1m 27.196
7.  Bottas      Williams   1m 27.303
8.  Sainz Jr      Toro Rosso   1m 27.410
9.  Perez      Force India   1m 27.581
10. Massa      Williams   1m 27.695
11. Hamilton   Mercedes   1m 27.723
12. Ericsson   Sauber   1m 28.498
13. Maldonado   Lotus    1m 28.559
14. Nasr      Sauber   1m 28.579
15. Palmer      Lotus        1m 28.711
16. Hulkenberg   Force India   1m 29.099
17. Alonso      McLaren   1m 30.072
18. Rossi           Marussia 1m 30.619
19. Button      McLaren  1m 32.091
20. Stevens   Marussia 1m 32.866

Rosberg was said to have experienced brake problems I think.  Hamilton - why so far back?
Ferrari looking strong as are STR and RBR.

Add FFP 2:
1.  Rosberg      Mercedes   1m 21.531
2.  Kvyat      Red Bull   1m 21.776
3.  Ricciardo   Red Bull   1m 21.868
4.  Hamilton   Mercedes   1m 21.961
5.  Vettel      Ferrari   1m 21.984
6.  Raikkonen   Ferrari   1m 22.399
7.  Bottas      Williams   1m 22.721
8.  Alonso      McLaren   1m 22.993
9.  Button      McLaren   1m 23.109
10. Massa      Williams   1m 23.289
11. Hulkenberg   Force India   1m 23.290
12. Maldonado   Lotus    1m 23.363
13. Sainz Jr      Toro Rosso   1m 23.364
14. Nasr      Sauber   1m 23.430
15. Perez      Force India   1m 23.597
16. Grosjean    Lotus    1m 23.614
17. Ericsson   Sauber   1m 24.533
18. Rossi      Marussia    1m 25.940
19. Stevens   Marussia    1m 26.968
20. Verstappen    Toro Rosso   no time

[Irisado]

Practice has sounded really quite exciting on BBC radio.  It's a shame that I can't watch it, thanks to the whole Sky gives Ecclestone lots of money deal.  This is one of the few 'new' tracks I've been looking forward to seeing, given that I've only ever seen archive footage of the original circuit.

I wish that they had kept Peraltada.  A corner named Mansell is underwhelming in all respects.  This is México not the UK.  I'm very disappointed.  The rest of the circuit looks quite challenging though, and there have been a lot of mistakes made in free practice, which is encouraging.

I'm pretty sure Mercedes will dominate again if it stays dry.  Others, notably Red Bull, will have opportunities in the wet though.

[J.Clark]

A lot of very interesting commentary.

Evidently the paving is such that it holds water, so even when the rain has stopped, it stay slippery for a long time.  I did see a lot of drivers having trouble controlling the rear end exiting turns and a good bit of front end wash-out in the tight slow-speed portions.

7,000 feet above sea-level?

Top speed, if I heard it correctly, and I replayed it a couple of times - 250mph?

It is a very high speed circuit with long straights and even some of the curves are pretty high speed.

It (FFP2) was televised at 2230 so I recorded it and watched it this morning. 

Qualifying should be very interesting, rain or not.  I just hope it isn't washed out like Austin was last weekend.
Forecast is a 90% chance of thundershowers Sunday.  Yikes 

[J.Clark]

Well, during qualifying, the speed trap matter was cleared up.  Top speed , I think was set (mentioned) during Q2, set by Massa at 226mph.  The comment was in conjunction with a comment of his speed would have put him in 3^rd on the starting grid for the Indy 500.

Tomorrow's grid:
1.  Rosberg              Mercedes   1m 19.480
2.  Hamilton      Mercedes   1m 19.668
3.  Vettel              Ferrari   1m 19.850
4.  Kvyat              Red Bull   1m 20.398
5.  Ricciardo      Red Bull   1m 20.399
6.  Bottas              Williams   1m 20.448
7.  Massa              Williams   1m 20.567
8.  Verstappen       Toro Rosso   1m 20.710
9.  Perez              Force India   1m 20.716
10. Hulkenberg      Force India   1m 20.788

11. Sainz Jr              Toro Rosso   1m 20.942
12. Grosjean          Lotus     1m 21.038
13. Maldonado      Lotus           1m 21.261   
14. Ericsson      Sauber   1m 21.544
15. Raikkonen      Ferrari   1m 22.494
16. Alonso              McLaren   1m 21.779
17. Nasr              Sauber   1m 21.788
18. Rossi              Marussia    1m 24.136
19. Stevens      Marussia    1m 24.386

There will a couple with grid penalties - Kimi and Alonso - and Button didn't post a time.

[lkjohnson1950]

They had to do away with the Peraltalda because there is no space for any runoff. A city street is right on the other side of the wall and it was a very fast corner. They couldn't get sanctioned without changing it. And you're right, it really takes a lot away from the circuit.