Track: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
Number if Laps: 71
Circuit Length: 2.7 miles (4.3km)
Race Length: 189.9 miles (305.5km)
Start Time: 19:00 BST
Fastest Lap: 1:19.480 (Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG Petronas, 2015, Q3)
Fastest Race Lap: 1:20.521 (Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG Petronas, 2015)
2015 Pole Position: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG Petronas, 1:19.480, Soft Tyres
2015 Race Winner: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG Petronas
Tyre Compounds: Supersoft, Soft, Medium, Intermediate, Wet
First F1 Championship Grand Prix (Country/Track): 1962/1986
Most Wins (Country): Jim Clark, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost (2)/Lotus, McLaren, Williams (3)
For the first time this season, the Drivers’ World Championship could be decided at this race.
With a maximum of 50 points available after this weekend, Nico Rosberg knows that to take the crown in Mexico City he must win the race. Should defending champion Hamilton then fail to finish in the top nine, it will be Rosberg who takes the title.
Williams have taken just a sole podium so far this season courtesy of Valtteri Bottas in Canada. This circuit should suit them as, like Canada, it has long straights. The Grove-based team have gone aggressive on their tyre strategy to try and jump Ferrari and Red Bull.
Both Bottas and Massa have seven sets of supersoft tyres and just three a piece of the medium and soft – but interestingly Force India have matched their selection as the battle for fourth place in the Constructors’ championship rages on.
Toro Rosso come into this race on the back of Sainz’s strong sixth place in Austin. With their 2015 spec Ferrari power unit starting to show its deficiencies, the outfit from Faenza have brought eight sets of supersofts and just two sets of mediums for each of their drivers.
Power units will suffer a lot at this circuit due to the three long straights – in particular the pit straight. This will be a worry for a lot of teams, but not least Mercedes. Another engine failure for Lewis Hamilton and the title fight is surely over. A blow up for Rosberg, coupled with a Hamilton victory, would close the gap to Hamilton to just one point going into the final two races.
With such a lot at stake, neither driver can afford to make mistakes going into the third last race of this thrilling 2016 season.
