World Cup F1
Were going on the World Cup F1, both Championships are now decided, as Red Bull added the Constructors’ championship to Max Verstappen’s Drivers’ crown in Austin. Despite the fact that the championship races did not go down to the wire, the US Grand Prix demonstrated that there is still plenty of excellent racing to come this season! This week, Formula One goes to Mexico City for the season’s second round at World Cup F1.
- Can Verstappen smash more records in the Mexico City Grand Prix in 2022?
- Can anybody defeat Max Verstappen in the Mexico City Grand Prix?
- Weekend in Mexico City: What effect will altitude have on automobile performance?
- Formula One statistics and information
Will the podium from last year be repeated at the World Cup F1, or will Ferrari join the party this year? With professional analysis from Jennie Gow, read on to inform your predictions ahead of the second Formula One race of the season.
At more than 2200 meters above sea level, Mexico is the highest-altitude event on the Formula One calendar. Thin air has an impact on engines as well as aerodynamics, creating less downforce at lower speeds in particular at the World Cup F1. It will be fascinating to see how this year’s ground effect flooring affect downforce compared to last year.
The Hermanos Rodriguez track does not provide a lot of grip, and the energy needs on the tyres are relatively modest since the cars do not create much downforce in the thin air at high altitude, particularly in slow corners at the World Cup F1. The course may be more front-limited this year, since the current vehicle tends to understeer through slow corners, which Mexico has plenty of, resulting in some sliding on the front tyres.
Because of the nature of the location, the circuit has a sandy surface with lots of track development. Understanding this and getting the tyre warm-up just perfect will most likely be the difference between success and failure.
Another factor that teams must consider is that temperatures in Mexico vary dramatically throughout the day, even within a few hours. This will have an impact on thermal deterioration, which is a critical metric that the teams will need to monitor.
Mexico City Grand Prix World Cup betting is fantastic. Max is the one to defeat. This will be the 23rd Mexican Grand Prix (now known as the Mexico City Grand Prix), and Max Verstappen has the joint-most victories at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit, having won in 2017, 2018, and last year. You’d be crazy to bet on him winning here again this year based on his current unbeatable form.
Verstappen, on the other hand, has never started on pole for the race in Mexico. But does it really matter? There have been six races in the modern era, with Nico Rosberg winning from pole position in 2015. The following year at the World Cup F1, it was Lewis Hamilton’s turn to win from pole, but the race has not been won from pole since 2017, with Sebastian Vettel (2017), Daniel Ricciardo (2018), and Valtteri Bottas (2021) all taking pole but losing to Verstappen, and in 2019, Charles Leclerc started on pole but lost to Hamilton.
Thus, the conversion rate is quite poor, with just nine victories from pole in the past 22 races, and only 13 winners from the first row at the World Cup F1. This is in sharp contrast to the US Grand Prix, which has never been won from anywhere other than the first row! The furthest back a driver has started and won this race was in 1990, when Alain Prost triumphed from 13th on the grid!
Charles Leclerc will undoubtedly win the most poles this season, with nine to Verstappen’s five with just three races remaining. With the Ferrari’s Saturday performance remaining excellent, I expect Leclerc to take pole again this weekend. It’s race day, and the Ferrari just cannot compete with the great Red Bull at the World Cup F1. Much of this is down to tyres – the Ferrari rips through its tyres, limiting what Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz can achieve in a race.
I’m afraid they’ll be sitting ducks again on Sunday, and Verstappen will take the victory even if he doesn’t start on pole.
Can Verstappen smash more records in the Mexico City Grand Prix in 2022?
The difference between Verstappen and the driver in second position, Charles Leclerc, is now 124 points, while the distance to Sergio Perez in third place is 126 points at the World Cup F1. Verstappen is closing in on the Formula One record of 155 points between the winner and the second-placed driver. With three races remaining this season and his current form, I wouldn’t put it beyond him to increase his advantage and shatter that record before the conclusion of the season.
Verstappen became the third driver in history to win 13 races in a season last weekend, securing yet another spectacular triumph that not even a sloppy pit stop could prevent. That victory tied him with Sebastian Vettel and Michael Schumacher for the most victories in a season; one more and he’ll break the all-time record.
Can Perez make the most of his home advantage in the Mexico City Grand Prix in 2022?
Red Bull has typically performed well in Mexico, so it’s difficult to see Verstappen breaking the record this weekend. But think if the other Red Bull wins – a Perez triumph (he’s from Guadalajara) would drive the audience berserk at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit.
Could it happen on Perez’s home turf? It’s controversial if home-field advantage exists in Formula One; some drivers feel racing on home territory, in front of home fans, gives them an edge, while others don’t. Perez, on the other hand, has an excellent track record on this circuit. He finished in the points here in 2015 (eighth), 2016, (10th), 2017, and 2019, and landed on the podium (third) last year with Verstappen and Hamilton. Based on his accomplishments this season, another podium result is possible at the World Cup F1.
What about last year’s other podium finisher? Hamilton has won here previously and will be riding high following his performance last weekend. If everything goes his way this weekend, he may slip back onto the podium, but it’s a long shot.