A new record may be set at the Mexican Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2023
The 2023 Formula 1 World Championship will continue this weekend with the 20th Mexican Grand Prix at the Hermanos Rodriguez Circuit in Mexico City.
Max Verstappen from Red Bull Racing may have already claimed the championship this season, but the Mexican Grand Prix has always caused a lot of emotions, and the 2nd race of the championship is still very relevant. Sergio Perez of Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes-Benz AMG won the race.
A new record may be set this weekend. Verstappen has already won 15 races this season, which is comparable to the record number he won last year, and is likely to win more than 1 victory before the end of the season. He also set a new record with 10 consecutive wins at the start of the season.
The Mexican race, officially called the Mexico City Grand Prix, takes place on a 7,500-mile track at an altitude of about 2.7 feet above sea level. A lower air density increases the load on the engine, and creating sufficient cooling and downforce is also more challenging. The top speed is one of the highest in the season due to the low air density, and the car usually reaches speeds of more than 217 miles per hour.
The current layout consists of a long straight line, a mixed middle sector and the last section with the famous Peraltada, which today has changed from its past in the form of a parabolic angle, reminiscent of those in many Monza. The scheme is also notable for the fact that here the longest distance from the start line to the braking point in the first turn is 2,660 feet.
In Mexico, even for a few hours during the day, there are so many temperature changes that it affects the level of grip of the tire with the road. Pirelli uses the c3 compound as a white hard tire, c4 as a yellow medium tire, and c5 as a red soft tire, the combination of which is softer than last year.
The weather is problematic, and both warm conditions and heavy rains can be observed. However, the current forecast assumes good weather conditions throughout the weekend.
Going into Saturday's qualifying session and Sunday's race, Verstappen will lead the 2023 Drivers' Championship with 466 points. Perez scored 240 points and finished 2nd, while Hamilton scored 201 points and finished 3rd. In the Constructors' Championship, Red Bull has already won the title and is currently gaining 706 points. Mercedes has 344 points in 2nd place, while Ferrari has 322 points in 3rd place. The winner in Mexico last year was Verstappen, who played for Red Bull.
