We're going to have the Mexican Grand Prix this weekend, and as the season draws to a close, tensions continue to escalate, and every driver and team has their own expectations, so let's talk about five things not to miss in this race.
Austin was once considered a "territory" for Mercedes, where they had dominant performances in the past and once saw the U.S. Grand Prix as a great opportunity to turn things around, but the results were completely out of their plans.
It is worth mentioning that the following Mexican Grand Prix and São Paulo Grand Prix have historically favored Red Bull, which is related to the altitude of the track and the characteristics of Red Bull racing. But Austin's story reminds us that things don't always go in the way they were intended.
Red Bull manager Horner said: "You have to throw out the stereotypes, I want Mexico to be a track that suits us, but they're also doing well here. ”
Beloved by Mexican car fans, Perez is alongside Pedro Rodriguez as the most successful Mexican driver, winning two victories each. If you're wondering how much Mexican fans love Pedro, just look at the track name (Rodriguez Brothers Circuit).
With a victory in Baku and back-to-back podium finishes with Austin in Turkey, Perez carries great support and expectations, and his goal is definitely to celebrate again in front of the fans.
Whenever an F1 event is held in Mexico, local fans always throw a special carnival. Although last year was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no doubt that this year's carnival will continue.
The Mexico City circuit has a special layout, and in the final stage, the track passes through an open-air viewing platform with spectators on three sides. Every year this place is a sea of colors and cheers that become a spectacular backdrop for the game.
At the Mexican Grand Prix for the 2019 season, two Ferrari drivers brought back second and fourth for the team. A week later in the United States, Leclerc trailed the lead driver by 52.239 seconds in fourth place. And at this year's American Grand Prix, Leclerc was again fourth behind the lead driver by 52.246 seconds.
Of course, this does not mean that Ferrari will be competitive in Mexico, but the recent upgrade of their power unit has been a huge success, meaning they can run faster under high downforce, which is exactly what the high altitude of the Mexico City circuit requires.
After the Russian Grand Prix, Alpine team led Toro Rosso by 84 points by 103 points. But Toro Rosso has been fast this season, with Gasley's excellent performances and kakuda's contribution to Austin to close the gap to 10 points.
The Honda power unit has a good history on the high-altitude track, so the Red Bull II team equipped with the Honda power unit hopes to further close the gap. Verstappen, who won here in both the 2017 and 2018 seasons, used Renault's power unit, so Alpine, who uses the Renault power unit, also hopes to quickly recover from the past few races.