)
The Formula 1 race weekend at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is shaping up to be a major test across the board for drivers, constructors, and power unit manufacturers alike.
During media day in Mexico City, the primary talking point centered on the impact of turbo lag in the thin air at 2,286 meters above sea level, particularly now that the MGU-H is no longer available to assist the turbocharger.
The extreme altitude dramatically impacts downforce and grip levels, setting the stage for what promises to be an exceptionally demanding weekend. While that is standard for Mexico, teams were previously able to partially offset the effect through wing configurations.
Historically, teams ran maximum-downforce setups akin to Monaco, as drag is minimal at this altitude. However, the rarefied air meant those packages generated downforce levels comparable only to Monza. The landscape is entirely different this season due to active aerodynamics—and according to Max Verstappen, with fewer setup variables to play with, cars will be sliding around considerably more.
"The grip here is much lower. Usually, we compensated for the altitude with the wings, but now we're essentially stuck with just one configuration," Verstappen explained.
"That means downforce will be significantly lower, which in itself is a massive challenge. It puts even greater emphasis on performance through the slow-speed corners."
The Dutchman acknowledged that Red Bull Racing's challenger does not particularly shine in those low-speed sections. As he pointed out in Austin, the RB22 is a solid, well-balanced package, but it doesn't hold a distinct advantage in either high-speed or low-speed corners. Even so, the world champion triumphed in Singapore—a circuit dominated by slow turns—and secured a front-row start in Monaco prior to major upgrade packages.
His teammate Isack Hadjar is also anticipating a weekend of constant sliding, despite fresh tarmac laid down to improve grip.
"I'm just thinking about how extreme these cars will be to drive," Hadjar told motorsport.com. "Last year, there was a lot of sliding even with the Monaco rear wing. Now the downforce level remains fairly constant throughout the season, and we arrive at a track like this. It's going to feel hellishly slippery."
Mechanical reliability presents another significant question mark. While reliability has proven surprisingly high in 2026 despite the sweeping overhaul to the technical regulations, Hadjar expects the components to be pushed to their absolute limits.
"Cooling demands will be extreme. That goes for the engine, tires, and brakes—everything will be running red hot, probably including myself behind the wheel!"
Then comes the matter of turbo lag. George Russell suggested in the press conference that Ferrari might hold an advantage at high altitude due to running a smaller turbocharger, but Hadjar is far from writing off his team's prospects.
"I'm not focused on Ferrari or Mercedes. I'm sure everyone will be competitive, but my attention is on how tricky this weekend will be for us. Over the last few rounds, our car worked brilliantly on drastically different circuits, so why shouldn't it perform well here?" he said.
It remains to be seen how the Red Bull Ford power unit will cope with high altitude in its first real trial under such extreme atmospheric conditions.
Verstappen added that driver input can only do so much to alleviate the issue, noting that downshifting to maintain higher RPMs won't be a magic cure: "There isn't a whole lot we can do from inside the cockpit."
"It will all come down to fine-tuning over the course of the weekend, both for us and the other teams. Understanding how to manage engine modes and car and brake cooling will be vital. This track pushes everything right to the edge."
&format=webp)
&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
&format=webp)