Quick summary
- Highest track in F1, by far: the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is more than 2,000 m up. Sources put it between 7,200 ft (about 2,195 m) and 2,285 m
- Thinner air: F1’s race programme cites 20% lower air pressure; Mercedes puts air density about 25% below sea level
- Monaco wings, Monza speeds: teams run their biggest wings and still see the highest top speeds of the year
- Harder-working cars: the turbo runs harder and hotter, and engines and brakes are harder to cool
- For fans: Mexico City sits just under the 8,000 ft sleeping altitude at which the CDC says unacclimatized travelers are at risk of altitude illness, which it says can sometimes happen lower
How high is the Mexico City Grand Prix track?
Every source agrees the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is more than 2,000 m above sea level and far higher than any other circuit on the Formula 1 calendar. They don’t agree on the exact figure, so here is what each one says:
| Source | Altitude given |
|---|---|
| Formula 1 official race programme | 7,200 ft (about 2,195 m) |
| Williams Racing | 2,240 m (about 7,350 ft) |
| Aston Martin F1 Team | 2,240 m (about 7,350 ft) |
| Mercedes-AMG F1 | 2,285 m (about 7,500 ft) |
For comparison, Mercedes puts the next-highest circuit, Interlagos in São Paulo, at about 800 m, nearly 1,500 m lower.
What does thin air do to a Formula 1 car?
Everything on an F1 car that depends on air, from the wings to the engine to the brake cooling, has less of it to work with in Mexico City. F1’s race programme cites a 20% drop in air pressure, and Mercedes says air density is about 25% lower than at sea level.
| Effect | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Downforce | Wings and floors have fewer air molecules to push against. Mercedes estimates downforce falls by about 25%, so teams bolt on their biggest wings. | Mercedes, Williams |
| Drag and top speed | Drag falls too, so the cars are fastest here despite the big wings. Mercedes says they run Monaco-size wings yet beat Monza’s top speeds, and F1’s programme says Mexico has taken over from Italy as the race with the highest top speeds. | Mercedes, F1 |
| Engine power | There is less oxygen to burn. Williams says engine output usually drops by around 1% for every 100 m of altitude, and the turbo has to run harder and hotter to push more air into the engine. | Williams, Mercedes |
| Cooling | Less air flows through the radiators, intakes and brake ducts, so engines and brakes run hotter. Mercedes says overheating brakes can wear faster or glaze. | Mercedes |
| Grip | With less downforce the cars slide more. In F1’s race programme, Jolyon Palmer says the car “always feels low on grip” here. | F1 |
| Drivers | Williams notes that fatigue sets in faster at altitude and that sleep is harder, because there is less oxygen. | Williams |
The thin air is behind one of the fastest moments in F1 history: Valtteri Bottas reached 372.5 km/h (231.4 mph) in a Williams at the 2016 Mexican Grand Prix, according to Williams. F1’s race programme gives his speed-trap figure as 231.46 mph.
The team explanations above were written before 2026, when Formula 1 introduced new rules: the 1.6-litre turbo V6 stays, but the MGU-H is gone, electric power rises to about half, and movable front and rear wings replace DRS (Formula 1). The physics of thin air hasn’t changed, but the exact percentages may differ for the 2026 cars.
How has the Mexico City track changed since 1959?
The circuit opened in 1959 in the Magdalena Mixhuca sports complex and is named for the brothers Ricardo and Pedro Rodríguez. F1’s race programme says today’s track still largely follows the original 1959 outline.
| Period | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1962 | A non-championship Mexican Grand Prix |
| 1963–1970 | The Mexican Grand Prix joins the World Championship |
| 1986–1992 | Formula 1 returns |
| 2015 | F1 comes back after a refurbishment overseen by circuit designer Hermann Tilke |
| Today | 4.304 km; lap record 1:17.774, Valtteri Bottas, 2021 |
The biggest change came with the 2015 redesign. The Peraltada, the fast, sweeping final corner that F1’s programme calls “spectacularly scary”, is now bisected: cars leave it halfway, wind through a slow left-right section inside a baseball stadium, formerly Foro Sol and now Estadio GNP Seguros, and rejoin the Peraltada partway round. That stadium section, packed with fans and home to the podium, is now the track’s signature. See every year’s winner on our Mexican Grand Prix winners page.
What does the altitude mean for fans at the race?
Mexico City is more than 7,000 ft up. The CDC says any unacclimatized traveler going to a sleeping altitude of 8,000 ft (2,450 m) or higher is at risk of altitude illness, “and sometimes lower”. Mexico City is a little below that line.
For high-altitude travel, the CDC advises taking only mild exercise and avoiding alcohol for the first 48 hours. If you’re flying in just before race weekend, it’s worth taking Friday easy before two long days on your feet. If you have health concerns, ask your doctor before you travel.
FAQ
How high is the Mexico City Grand Prix track?
More than 2,000 m above sea level, the highest on the Formula 1 calendar. F1’s race programme gives 7,200 ft (about 2,195 m), Williams and Aston Martin say 2,240 m, and Mercedes says 2,285 m.
Why are F1 top speeds so high in Mexico City?
The thin air cuts drag as well as downforce. Teams run their biggest wings, yet the cars still reach the highest top speeds of the season. Valtteri Bottas hit 372.5 km/h (231.4 mph) there in 2016.
Can you get altitude sickness at the Mexico City Grand Prix?
It is possible but less likely than at higher elevations. The CDC puts the risk threshold for unacclimatized travelers at a sleeping altitude of 8,000 ft (2,450 m), and says altitude illness can sometimes happen lower. Mexico City is just over 7,000 ft.
What is the Peraltada?
The fast final corner of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Since the 2015 redesign the track leaves it halfway and runs through a baseball stadium before rejoining it, so cars now take only part of the original corner.
Go deeper
Sources: Formula 1 race programme – Get to know the circuit · Mercedes-AMG F1 – What impact does high altitude have on an F1 car? · Williams Racing – How altitude affects an F1 car · Aston Martin F1 Team · Formula 1 – 2026 regulations · RacingCircuits.info – Mexico City · CDC Yellow Book – High-altitude travel