Hitting the Apex: Mexico City E-Prix

Formula E is back in action for Season 10 this weekend! ATRL’s Eline Luna previews the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Eline Luna

January 13, 2024

 The Formula E season kicks off in Mexico City this weekend. The series makes its eight visit to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez since Season 2, making it one of the series’ longest standing tracks. The track features a stadium section through Foro Sol, a venue also used for concerts and baseball games.

Lucas di Grassi, Mahindra Racing, Mahindra M9Electro, leads Jake Dennis, Avalanche Andretti Formula E, Porsche 99 X Electric Gen3, Jake Hughes, NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, Nissan e-4ORCE 04, and the rest of the field (©Andrew Ferraro/FIA Formula E)

While it is at the same venue as Formula 1 uses for their Mexico visits, it is not the same layout. Formula E races on a 2.6 km track featuring 19 turns. The track has seen many changes since its inaugural E-Prix in 2016, but remains the same as the previous year this time.

 

The track features a mix of long and fast straights and a technical infield section through the legendary Foro Sol stadium. After a long and fast Turn 2, the drivers make their way around Turn 3, which breaks off left into a four turn sequence. Looping back around a hairpin, Turns 6 and 7 get technical, with a straight and sharp right-hand bend leading into new chicane.  In its years the track has hosted many spectacular races.

AUTODROMO HERMANOS RODRIGUEZ, MEXICO – FEBRUARY 16: Lucas Di Grassi (BRA), Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler, Audi e-tron FE05, makes contact with Pascal Wehrlein (DEU), Mahindra Racing, M5 Electro, as he passes him on the line to win the race and take the chequered flag during the Mexico City E-prix at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on February 16, 2019 in Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico. (Photo by Sam Bloxham / LAT Images)

Such as back in Season 5 when Pascal Wehrlein ran out of energy right before the finish line. Lucas di Grassi had been on his tail for all of the last lap and squeezed past Wehrlein right before the finish. Or back in Season 3 when di Grassi took victory from 15th on the grid, the lowest position any driver has won an E-Prix from. The Brazilian broke his rear wing on lap 1 and had to come in for repairs, but a strategy gamble under a safety car paid off.

 

What to look out for?

Last year, Mahindra’s best result of the season came during the opening race when Lucas di Grassi took pole and managed to clinch a podium. However, the rest of the season was disastrous for Mahindra and their customer team, ABT Cupra. 

 

Last year, Jake Dennis took victory ahead of Pascal Wehrlein proving the Porsche powertrains strong at the track. However, Jaguar and their customer team, Envision Racing leave pre-season testing as the strongest. 

 

Track Layout:

Past Winners

2023: Jake Dennis

2022: Pascal Wehrlein

2021: (In 2021 the race was ran at Puebla) 

Race Info:

  • Race Length: 35 Laps
  • Turns: 19
  • Attack Mode Place: T15
  • Attack Mode: 8 Minutes
  • Track Length: 2.628 km
  • Most Wins: Lucas di Grassi (2)
  • Race lap record: 1:14.195 (Jake Dennis, 2023)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eline follows a variety of motorsports from Formula E to IMSA to Nascar to WEC. They hope to study Mechanical Engineering to work in motorsports one day.

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