Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez sits at high altitude, and the thin air changes everything. Downforce and cooling both fall away, so teams run their biggest wings and still find the cars sliding, and engines and brakes have to work harder for less effect. A very long main straight leads into a tight complex, and the lap finishes through a stadium section wrapped in packed grandstands. Managing cooling and braking in the rarefied air is a challenge all its own.

Named after the Rodriguez brothers, the circuit is unlike anywhere else on the calendar precisely because of that elevation. The atmosphere in the stadium section, with fans close on all sides, gives the race a colour and noise that few venues can match.