Mexico City Grand Prix 2026 predictions

Pérez is back for his home race

Sergio Pérez was not on the grid in Mexico City in 2025. He returns with Cadillac, the 11th team, which is racing here for the first time in its debut season. Cadillac says this is the week Pérez reaches 300 Grand Prix starts, and he opens it with a show run down Paseo de la Reforma on Wednesday 28 October. Cadillac’s announcement (opens in a new tab).

The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez

The lap is 4.304 km with 17 corners, and the Grand Prix runs for 71 laps. The circuit sits more than 2,200 metres above sea level, and in the thin air the cars make less downforce. That helps top speed on a main straight over 1.2 km long, and Pirelli says drivers change gear less here than at any other track. Pirelli’s circuit notes (opens in a new tab).

The surface is smooth and sees little use during the year, so it has little grip on Friday and lap times fall as rubber goes down. Tyre temperatures drop along the two long straights, which makes lock-ups under braking more likely. With little downforce the tyres slide, and Pirelli says graining here has historically been pronounced. Pirelli’s 2025 preview (opens in a new tab).

The last sector cuts across the old Peraltada corner and winds through a former baseball stadium, where the podium ceremony takes place. Formula 1’s circuit guide (opens in a new tab).

Norris won from pole in 2025

Lando Norris took pole by 0.262 seconds from the Ferraris of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The 2025 qualifying report (opens in a new tab). He won the race by 30.324 seconds. Leclerc held second by 0.725 seconds from Max Verstappen, who had started fifth, and Oliver Bearman finished fourth for Haas, his best result, ahead of Oscar Piastri. The win put Norris one point ahead of Piastri in the championship. The 2025 race report (opens in a new tab).

Four cars went for the lead into Turn 1, and several cut the corner. Teams expected one stop, and more than half the field started on the Soft. The 2025 race report (opens in a new tab). Pirelli brought C2, C4 and C5, skipping a step between the Hard and the Medium as it had in Austin the week before. Pirelli’s 2025 selection (opens in a new tab).