Norris looking to bounce back

After a strong Ferrari-show in Austin last weekend for the United States Grand Prix 2024, the Formula One grid moves to Mexico this weekend for the Mexican Grand Prix 2024. Before the action gets going on the track, here’s our race preview and predictions.

Home advantage

Moving to Mexico, it will be the home race for struggling Red Bull driver Sergio Pérez. Pérez, who has his Red Bull seat under the spotlight, started the Formula One 2024 season on a strong note, with four podiums in the opening 5 rounds, which included three second-place finishes. But post the Chinese Grand Prix 2024, the Mexican driver has not managed to finish on the podium and had a couple of out of the points finishes as well along with a few retirements as well. 

Pérez has had a best finish of P6 in the last 10 races, with his poor Sunday form hurting Red Bull in the Constructors’ standing, where the Austrian team has been overtaken comfortably by McLaren. Coming to his home race, where his team-mate Max Verstappen is a five-time race winner, Pérez will be looking to turn his season around, not only to keep himself in Formula One but also for the sake of his team in the Constructors’ battle.

Pérez is one who generally steps up when pushed to a corner and at a track he’s comfortable on, count of Pérez to have a strong weekend and even end up on the podium, if not the top step. 

Pole position prediction: Red Bull/ McLaren
Race winner prediction: Red Bull/ Ferrari

Stepping up in the midfield

It’s been a strong couple of races for American team Haas, who spent the last couple seasons right at the bottom of the field but with a competitive race car, Nico Hülkenberg and Kevin Magnussen have pushed Haas to sixth in the Constructors’ standing. 

With a strong Ferrari engine, Haas have managed to integrate well into their system and have been regularly around the points places and will be looking forward to another points-filled weekend in Mexico City to build a bigger gap to VCARB, who are in seventh position. Haas should be in for another strong weekend, which should put them in the fringes of the points or towards the lower end of the points places, and with it being a triple header, the American team will be looking to make the most of their strong run.

Ferrari in the mix

Mexico has always been a strong track for Ferrari although the Scuderia are yet to open their account in Mexico City. The team has always been competitive and in the mix for the win with Sebastian Vettel’s second place finishes in 2018 and 2019 being the closest the Italian team have come to victory. 

Coming into the Mexican race, not only with a competitive car but also with a spring in their step, thanks to a surprise United States Grand Prix win, the Scuderia will be in the mix for the win once again and count on Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz to challenge the McLaren and Red Bull and quite possibly even surprise them in a high-downforce and high-speed track. 

Mexican Grand Prix 2024: Race Details

Circuit: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
Venue: Mexico City, Mexico
Practice Session 1 time: 00:00, October 26
Practice Session 2 time: 03:30, October 26
Practice Session 3 time: 23:00, October 26
Qualifying time: 02:30, October 27
Main race time: 01:30, October 28
Where to watch: F1 TV Pro / FanCode