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Reviewing the Last Five Winners of the Mexican Grand Prix in Mexico City

The Formula 1 Mexican Grand Prix returns to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for its 2026 edition. Mexico City's high altitude, about 2,240 meters above sea level, challenges drivers and teams alike by thinning the air, which impacts car downforce and drag. Practice sessions become crucial for adapting to these conditions.

The track’s long run into Turn 1 offers many passing opportunities. Interestingly, two of the last five race winners began from third place on the grid, showing that starting position isn’t everything here.

Fastest Lap Records in Mexico City

  • Fastest qualifying lap: Max Verstappen set a blistering 1:14.758 during the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix while driving for Red Bull.
  • Fastest race lap: Valtteri Bottas, then with Mercedes, clocked 1:17.774 on Lap 69 of the 2021 race.
  • Race distance: Typically, drivers complete 71 laps around the circuit.

Last Five Mexican GP Winners

  • 2025 - Lando Norris (McLaren): Starting from pole, Norris held off challenges from Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. He won comfortably, finishing over 30 seconds ahead of second place.
  • 2024 - Carlos Sainz Jr. (Ferrari): After grabbing pole by beating Verstappen, Sainz lost the lead briefly but reclaimed it on Lap 9. This race featured a fierce battle between Verstappen and Norris, ending with Verstappen receiving two 10-second penalties. Sainz secured his last win with Ferrari here.
  • 2023 - Max Verstappen (Red Bull): Ferrari locked the front row, placing Verstappen third. Using the slipstream on the long approach to Turn 1, he overtook the Ferraris. A red flag from Kevin Magnussen's crash interrupted the race, but Verstappen managed his hard tyres well and finished more than 13 seconds ahead of Hamilton.
  • 2022 - Max Verstappen (Red Bull): Starting from pole and running a one-stop strategy, Verstappen managed to keep Mercedes drivers behind while switching from soft to medium tyres, leading to an efficient victory.
  • 2021 - Max Verstappen (Red Bull): Beginning third, Verstappen used the slipstream to pass the two Mercedes cars into Turn 1. He dominated the race, winning by over 16 seconds. His teammate Sergio Perez delighted local fans by finishing third, marking the first podium finish by a Mexican at this home event.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Kimi Antonelli recently took the checkered flag in Austin, yet Max Verstappen remains the driver to beat in Mexico City. With five wins here already, Verstappen’s skill and Red Bull’s power advantage suit this circuit’s demands, especially the lengthy run to Turn 1. Expect Verstappen and Red Bull to be front-runners in this year’s Mexican Grand Prix.

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