Formula 1: Mexico City Grand Prix Betting Preview

The Mexico City Grand Prix is the second race of a triple-header. Fans were treated to close racing in Austin last weekend, and now the team’s head south to Mexico.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen scored his 15th victory of the season, but arguably all eyes will be on his teammate Sergio Perez this weekend. The Dutch driver was on the end of boos from the crowd after he battled to a satisfying win.

Verstappen is unlikely to receive a warm reception this weekend too, as many locals feel he hasn’t been a good teammate to Perez. The Mexican driver has had a disappointing season with only one victory in the bag, at the Azerbaijan GP in April.

Perez will be eager to get one over his teammate, and to win in front of 110,000 Mexican fans will be even sweeter.

The Track

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track poses an interesting test for drivers as it’s located 2240m above sea level. The high altitude affects the cars’ power output as the air contains less oxygen.

First a little, the circuit is named after the Rodriguez brothers, Pedro and Ricardo, the local heroes who both raced for Scuderia Ferrari in the 1960s.
Due to the high altitude, the teams run them at maximum downforce levels which is usually seen at slow, twisty tracks like Monaco.

Last year the Ferrari duo of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished fifth and sixth and attributed the poor performance to the track’s location.

“I mean, Mexico is a very particular track in very particular conditions, extremely high in altitude, so I don’t think it will be the same problems here,” Leclerc said.

The track first hosted a GP in 1963, but it was only in 2015 that it was heavily revamped. According to RaceFans, every corner had been modified including the Peralta, which was replaced with a slow series of bends running through the Foro Sol stadium.

The circuit is 4.3km long and the race should last 71 laps barring any weather incidents.
The lap starts with a bang as the first sector is all about the power unit as it features two long straights, one of them on the start-finish straight. We’re likely to see a top speed of close to 360km/h here.

There are three DRS zones and the track is a mix of slow, medium, and fast sections. There are several medium-speed corners in the second sector from turn 4 to 11. That section puts maximum pressure on the tyres.

Finally, the third sector is dominated by four slow corners which include the atmospheric stadium section.

Max’s World And We’re Just Living In It

Verstappen notched up 15 wins in Austin and now has a chance to break his record with a 16th win. The world champion looks unstoppable and he has been installed as favourite for the race wins at 1.25.

Perez is the second favourite at an enticing 8.50 with Lewis Hamilton one back at 13.00. We reckon both are worth a look based on something happening to Verstappen in the race.
There are a few drivers in the running for podium places, but we expect Red Bull to occupy two of those. The dark horses will be Leclerc and Sainz at 4.50 and 6.00.

However, not to throw cold water on that tip but reports suggest the Italian team might incur grid penalties as they are likely to use new power units in both cars.

Mercedes are in good form and after a strong weekend in Austin, we expect them to challenge at the top of the pecking order. Look out for McLaren as Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris continue to enjoy the dividends of the team’s upgraded MCL23.

Aston Martin was unlucky to not score more points in Austin, and with their upgraded car they could perform well in Mexico. Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso is 13.00 to claim a podium position.

Predictions

Winner: Verstappen
Podium: Verstappen, Perez, Hamilton
Fastest lap: Hamilton
First to retire: Hulkenberg
Fastest pitstop: McLaren
Most Team Points: Red Bull
Both Cars Qualify for Q3 Shootout: Mercedes
Practice 1/2/3 Winning Car: Verstappen/ Red Bull
Safety Car: Yes
Top 6: Gasly, Ocon, Stroll, Alonso
Top 10: Albon, Tsunoda, Bottas
Winning margin: Over 5 seconds
Number of classified finishers: 18

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