Mexican Grand Prix - Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez

[René]

We are entering the next race weekend of the American four-parter with renewed enthusiasm!  
Max Verstappen has already won here four times before, so this weekend will most likely be the fifth time.



It will be more exciting how Max is received here by the fanatical Mexican fans. He was already booed in Austin so he can expect something here. Not that he cares.



Anyway, it's a nice circuit. Too bad they halved the Peraltada and that weird stadium wasn't necessary, but other than that it's not bad.

[chrisb]

Totally agree Rene halving that corner that special corner was a serious mistake 

obviously Perez will be on home turf but I can’t get away from the sense that he is in a team that doesn’t show him the love he needs to thrive and in reality if anyone beats Max I would be happy 

lots of mistakes at the last races disqualifying for such a thing does not reflect well 

ok so I have the Thailand MotoGP and the end of season WSB vs F1 mmmm 

[Carl]

The Peraltada was dangerous but could have been improved with more runoff and better barriers.  A super fast sweeping turn is preferable to a baseball stadium.  The stadium is the last place I would choose to sit, but may have appealed to the organizers because it came with modern grandstands, and to casual fans who enjoy (?) seeing F1 cars going slow enough for prolonged cheers.  To each their own, but not for me.

 

This is the photograph Chris mentioned earlier.  In one of the saddest examples of family and national pride being paramount, Ricardo Rodriguez kisses his father's hand after being told to try harder for pole position in his Lotus 24 at the 1962 Mexican Grand Prix.  A few minutes later, he was dead after suspension failure in the Peraltada Corner.

                                                                                    

[René]

Checo’s father is of the same cloth as papa Rodríguez. Today he said he loves Helmut Marko and also praises Max Verstappen and claims that Checo will be next to Verstappen for another 10 years and will certainly be champion in one of those ten years! Really! No pressure…

The Peraltada was great and they should not have touched it. I sometimes miss the danger of the old days. I mean, that pass from Mansell on Berger was not only incredible driving but it was even more incredible because of the danger. One of the best passes ever!

[René]

Ha, ha, fantastico! Another pole position for Charles Leclerc and a front row lockout for Ferrari with Sainz in second! Max is third but still under investigation for impeding. Don’t understand why that always takes so long…

It’s the 22nd pole for Charles, 22nd! But only five wins.. Ferrari needs to build a better race car for this man. No one has this many poles without a world title to his name. I hope they can convert this to a win tomorrow. 

[chrisb]

thanks Carl, yes that poignant moment has never left me, Riccardo was yet another one of those drivers rated extremely highly by some but not by others, a bit like Chris Bristow. 

Rene, there always has been a need for risk, even now it is now not fully safe just a lot safer, and the need to create more safety around the Peraltada would have been far more satisfying and exciting,   

I recently saw an interview with Stirling that I hadn't seen before, where he talked about danger being integral to his racing, not stupidly and regretting the passing of those who paid the ultimate price, it did feel slightly callous but I guess that is how you coped with so many tragedies, my point has always been about tragedies most of them could have been prevented with some basic safeguarding, like a armco barrier at Hockenheim for instance, it wouldn't have made the circuit any less but it could have saved lives. 

Forza Charles, is it really 22 pole positions? my word, it really does feel his talent has not been truly rewarded, fingers crossed for the race. oh and getting the measurements right, maybe Ferrari and Mercedes should have asked Ross Brawn to do the measuring.......

[René]

Enjoy the race guys. Forza Ferrari!

[René]

Max wins. Checo was over ambitious. Lewis drove a strong race as did Lando. Charles and Carlos maximized the result with this car. And I read that Checo and Ferrari 'fans' were fighting in the stands!

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