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What you need to know about the Mexican Grand Prix | Motorsports

It’s going to be a spectacle again. Shortly before one of the most important holidays in Mexico, the “Día de los Muertos” from November 1st to 2nd, world champion Max Verstappen and his rivals turn the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez back into a horsepower madhouse.

A race track at over 2000 meters, motorsport crazy fans with great costumes, an old baseball stadium and much more. In terms of sport, most things have been clarified. Still, there are plenty of unanswered questions.

What is still open in terms of sport?

Of course, it’s still about placing behind world champion Max Verstappen in the drivers’ classification and behind Red Bull in the constructors’ category. As for the pilots, the Mexican Sergio Perez is hoping for a perfect home game and ultimately second place in the World Championship. Going into the third to last race of the season, he is just two points behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. In addition, the old and new champion Verstappen wants and can set a record this Sunday: He has already won 13 races this year and most recently equaled the record of Michael Schumacher from 2004 and Sebastian Vettel from 2013 in Austin. With another win he is the only one record holder.

What makes the race in Mexico special?

Definitely the mood. Fans flock to the course, nestled within the city’s Ciudad Deportiva Magdalena Mixhuca sports complex. This also means that the drivers can look forward to an atmospheric highlight of the year: The course, which is only 4.3 kilometers long, leads through a former baseball stadium.

That would almost be like a race for the summit of the Zugspitze – from an altitude perspective. Germany’s highest mountain is 2962 meters high. Mexico City is at 2240 meters. The thin air – the higher, the lower the air pressure, the lower the oxygen content – makes things difficult for people and engines. According to an article in the magazine of the German Alpine Association, you can get sick at altitudes of 2,500 meters or more.

What effects does the mountain air have on cars?

One problem is the cooling – with still good summer temperatures of over 25 degrees. Due to the lower number of molecules in the air, less energy can be transported away from the power unit and the brakes. Exactly those get really hot. This can be remedied, for example, by additional ventilation slots. The oxygen content is a little under 80 percent compared to the value at sea level. This also has an effect on the performance, which is simply lower, as well as on the downforce. Nevertheless, the cars reach a top speed of almost 340 kilometers per hour on the course.

What’s the latest on Mick Schumacher?

It could be the last chance. Team boss Günther Haas had said before the race double pack in Austin and Mexico City: “The next time that the opportunity arises is the week after Mexico, in which there will be no race.” A decision could therefore be made in the coming week. Most recently, Mick Schumacher missed the points again, and the team’s strategy was again a little puzzling. In qualifying, he himself had caused a minus point in the final application race with a spin.

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