12 Jun 2019
This weekend sees the return of Formula One to Mexico’s iconic Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit as Lewis Hamilton hopes to wrap up the championship title for a second consecutive year in Mexico.
As round 18 of 20 on the F1 calendar, the circuit was renamed in honour of the Rodriguez brothers, Pedro and Ricardo, after the latter was involved in a fatal collision during practice for the non-championship 1962 Mexican Grand Prix.
After a 23-year hiatus on the F1 calendar, it returned for the first time in 2015 and has proved a fan favourite, known for its considerable overtaking opportunities that have rarely produced dull races.
As the highest altitude circuit on the calendar though, it is also often a stumbling block for some teams as grip is elusive and the thin air increases the demand required of the engines. Here we take a closer look at the stats that dictate who might take home the spoils on Sunday?
Drives That Thrive
With Hamilton undoubtedly the man the spotlight will be on this weekend, as the Brit needs just five points to wrap up a fifth world championship title, recent history would suggest that he’s in good shape to do so, despite only managing a ninth place finish in last year’s edition of the race.
Sitting in the silver Mercedes, he can be quietly confident of success given that Mercedes associated drivers have occupied six of the last nine podium spots in Mexico.
With a chance of rain in qualifying too, the rain maestro of sorts might be confident of lining himself up a front row spot on Sunday’s grid.
Despite only managing third in Austin last time out, the Brit also still holds a ridiculous record of seven wins in his last nine races. On a circuit where he’s won before, we could see him sealing the championship in style here. Get him to win on Sunday at Formula One betting odds of 9/5.
Heightened Awareness
Although Mercedes look in good shape to potentially take home the spoils at the sharp end of the race, they’ll be a queue of cars lining up behind them looking to snatch an elusive win.
Given the pressures that altitude places on the engines in the thin air of Mexico as a circuit that is 1000 metres higher above sea level on the racing calendar than any other, Red Bull are another team that have found the circuit to favour them in recent years.
That being said, widely renowned as one the best over takers in Formula One, Daniel Ricciardo will hope to be in the running for the victory, but as last year’s defending champion, Max Verstappen looks a more likely bet to steal a win to us at betting odds of 7/2.
Having outscored his teammate to a runner-up finish in Austin last weekend, the man that bettered him then, Kimi Raikkonen will also be in high spirits and on the hunt for a win. Incredibly, the Finn’s win last weekend marked the longest ever drought between two race wins at 2044 days and 113 races.
It also made him the oldest driver to win a Grand Prix since Nigel Mansell in 1994. Mansell himself is a two-time winner in Mexico, so perhaps Kimi can do the business this weekend to again follow in Mansell’s footsteps. After a third-place finish in Mexico last year where he beat Hamilton and Vettel, we think he’s worth a shot at odds of 10/1.
Deja-Lew
Of course, Sebastian Vettel is still part of the championship conversation and as the fastest lap holder at Mexico, one must not write him off this weekend. Needing a win to stay in the race and Hamilton to then finish lower than seventh, get him at odds of 8/5 to win.
On one final note though, we find it hard to see Hamilton finishing lower than seventh this weekend, despite his ninth-place finish last year that was only just enough to clinch the title last time out.
Three other drivers have secured the title in Mexico before and we back him to do just that again.
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