Andrea PerilliThe upcoming race in Formula E, is the Mexico City E-Prix, a race characterized by lots of action, drama, and passionate fans. We take a look at what makes this event an unmissable one in the fully-electric championship calendar.
The racing tradition has long been settled on Mexican soil. Formula 1 landed for the very first time in Mexico City in 1962, when the Rodriguez brothers were at the peaks of their careers, and were considered national racing stars. After a non-championship race, the venue finally entered the Formula 1 calendar a year later.
For the remainder of the sixties, F1 hosted races in this circuit, until 1970. It wasn’t until 1986, when Formula 1 had its comeback to Mexico City, a race that continued to be held until 1992, that last edition won by Nigel Mansell, who has a corner named after him.
Series like Champ Car or A1GP raced in the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in the years between the second and third time periods where Formula 1 would race there. Finally, in 2015, Formula One would go back to Mexico City, and just a couple of months later, it would be time for Formula E.
It would take just a couple of laps for this race to become a fixed fan favourite in the calendar. Drama, overtakes, crashes, and passionate fans who make the race an all-round spectacle.
There is never a lack of drama.
What would be of Formula E without its dramatic races? The first Mexico City E-Prix, was plagued with drama, including some memorable last lap moments where di Grassi, Buemi, and d’Ambrosio toughly raced each other; and a post-race disqualification, where the Brazilian’s win was inherited by the Belgian.
But drama did not stop in 2016, and the following year, it was an event-packed race, where you would not guess who would take the win until the last lap. And as unexpected as the second edition turned out to be, so did last year’s. So do you like races where you don’t know who is going to take the win until the last corner? Then watch the Mexico City E-Prix!
A race of first times.
First win, first podium finish. First of many things. In 2018, Daniel Abt conquered his first ever Formula E win at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, after a heartbreaking disqualification from the top step of the podium earlier in the season in Hong Kong. Also in last year’s edition, Oliver Turvey reached the podium for the first time in his Formula E career, in a hard-fought battle that saw him finishing in P2.
Despite having been disqualified from the race in 2016, Lucas di Grassi came back stronger the following year, scoring his first victory of his championship-winning campaign. What achievement will we see for the first time this season at the Mexico City E-Prix?
Fiesta!
The Mexican Grand Prix organizers, have won the award for ‘Best Promoters’ four years in a row at the FIA Prize Giving ceremony. The excitement the Mexican public has is not only reserved for Formula One, but also for series like Formula E, or more recently the Race of Champions, which are also held at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.
Grandstands full of colours, costumes, and passion can be seen on TV, as they add party vibes to a race that already innovates in so many aspects.
A challenge in so many ways.
The fully-electric championship races in various venues around the globe, each one with different geographical characteristics. Last race, we saw a heat wave in Santiago, which challenged the cars’ batteries, and now, it’s altitude what will test some aspects of the cars and the racing.
Mexico City is located at an altitude of 2250 metres over sea level. Winters are dry, with February being the driest month of the year. And what a better place to show what electric mobility is able to do for climate change than a city where one of its main goals is reducing the smog and pollution it suffers from?
The I-Pace eTrophy comes back.
After its debut in Ad Diriyah, the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy will have its second race of the season, in a completely different track, where we will see the drivers go racing, aiming to reach the top step of the podium.
The first ever winner, was New Zealand’s Simon Evans. In this opportunity, we will see whether the Kiwi will maintain his lead on the standings, or someone else will battle for the top of the championship.
Bethonie Waring
