Mexican Grand Prix – The highlights

1. The legendary titles of Hamilton against Vettel (2017/2018)

How to start this enumeration other than with the last two world titles played there? Twice, Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel engaged in a fierce battle until that famous Mexican Grand Prix. For the same outcome known, the inevitable title of Sir Lewis.

If the title in 2017 was magnificent, the one in 2018 may be even more so because it brought Hamilton into another dimension by becoming a five-time world champion that day, equaling the legend Fangio but above all definitively surpassing Alain Prost… and his rival Sebastian Vettel and their four respective titles.

Moment of History.

2. Verstappen, record holder of the circuit, Pérez, rockstar of an entire nation (2021)

Less historical certainly, but much more emotionally powerful for the local audience. Indeed, the country’s hero, Sergio Pérez, finds himself in the lead of the Grand Prix for a long time, thanks to the pit stops, becoming the first Mexican driver to lead his home Grand Prix.

Even better, the Red Bull driver makes a comeback after his pit stop to battle Lewis Hamilton for second place, and with this third position, he secures his first podium at home, also the first of its kind for a Mexican driver!

However, he cannot do anything against his team leader, Max Verstappen, who achieves his third victory in Mexico, making him the record holder for wins on this track.

3. Rosberg rises from the ashes (2015)

After a challenging year, particularly marked by the loss of the championship title at the previous Grand Prix in the United States with the famous cap throw, Nico Rosberg must rebuild himself if he wants to continue to exist against a Lewis Hamilton who has defeated him for the second time for the world crown.

At the 2015 Mexican Grand Prix (marking its return to the calendar), Rosberg appears more conqueror than ever and lays the groundwork for his resurrection. Indeed, the Mercedes driver will achieve the Hat Trick (Pole, Victory, Fastest Lap) during this Grand Prix that he dominates from start to finish, securing his first win in 6 months since the Austrian Grand Prix.

She will launch her career’s best series as Rosberg will achieve 7 consecutive victories between late 2015 and early 2016, simply the second longest series Formula 1 has ever seen behind Sebastian Vettel’s 9 wins in late 2013. The path to the championship was set!

Also read: The Rodriguez brothers’ helmet replicas for the poleman of the Mexican GP

4. The feat of John Surtees (1964)

Anecdote necessarily less known to the young audience and new fans due to its age, but the magnitude of John Surtees’ achievement that year is such that it cannot be excluded from this article.

In 1964, Mexico hosted the final round of the Formula 1 World Championship. Three drivers still had a mathematical chance of claiming the title: Graham Hill in BRM, Jim Clark in Lotus, and John Surtees in Ferrari.

Hill is in the best position to take the win despite Jim Clark’s pole position and dominance in the early stages of the Grand Prix. However, the British driver, who finished in 3rd place in the race, will have to make a very long pit stop as a result of a collision with Lorenzo Bandini’s Ferrari.

It is then Jim Clark who seems inclined to claim the crown, but the Lotus driver encounters bad luck when his engine fails due to an oil leak. So, everything comes down to Graham Hill and a rather discreet John Surtees.

At the start of the final lap, Dan Gurney on his Brabham is in the lead and is going to win this Grand Prix. At that moment, he is ahead of Bandini and Surtees in that order, which mathematically secures the title for Graham Hill. But being a great teammate, Bandini will step aside to let Surtees pass, who, with his second place finish, becomes the World Champion.

The magnitude of this title is immense as Surtees is still to this day the only and unique driver to have won the world title on both four wheels and two wheels. Before Formula 1, he achieved the impressive feat of winning 7 titles in motorcycle racing between 1956 and 1960. Timeless.

5. Mexico, land of firsts.

For this final part, the editorial team has decided not to make a choice and to present you with the impressive list of first victories and first titles obtained on Mexican soil. And it’s safe to say that there are many who have had this privilege!

Honda, with Richie Ginther, achieved their first success in the premier category in 1965. New Zealander Denny Hulme claimed his only championship title at the wheel of his Lotus in 1967 in Mexico. The following year, despite the tragic loss of their iconic leader Clark during the season, Lotus achieved a one-two finish with Graham Hill, who secured his second world championship title.

Finally in 1986, after 16 years of absence, Formula 1 returns to the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit with a surprising winner, Austrian Gerhard Berger behind the wheel of his Benetton, jointly obtaining their first victory in the discipline.

And you? What was your standout moment of the Mexican Grand Prix?

The first free practice session of the Grand Prix will take place at 8:00 p.m., French time. All the schedules to know can be found in the TV program.