• This year we celebrate the first competition of the top category in motor racing held in our country 55 years ago.
• This year’s FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE MÉXICO 2017TM edition will be the third after 23 years of absence in our country.

Mexico is a country widely recognized for its rich culture, history, customs, art, music, society and motor racing of course.

It was in November 1962 when Formula 1® fans emerged in our country, for it was when the top category in world motor racing celebrated its first competition in Mexican territory, although it was not a scoring test for the World Championship.

A year before, the Mexican driver, Ricardo Rodríguez honored Mexico’s name in motor racing with only 19 years old, during his Formula 1® debut, as team Ferrari’s leader.

On his first race in Italy, he surprised the entire world by classifying in the second position only one tenth after his Parcing Horse partner, the German, Wolfgang Von Trips. Sadly the young Mexican’s career could never transcended, after passing at the age of 20 in an accident on the Peraltada curve of the now named Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, during 1962 race free practices. The youngest of the Rodriguez, became the first Mexican driver with an outstanding achievement in Formula 1® World Championship ever since and consequently a motor racing national icon. This precedent would be preamble for the first official Gran Premio de México where he debuted on October 27, 1963.

By that time the Mexican Grand Prix’ grid included the presence of Ricardo’s brother, Pedro Rodríguez, and Moisés Solana.

From then on, Mexico’s date continued steadily on top category motor racing’s calendar until 1970. There are some outstanding moments during that first season, like 1964 John Surtees’ crowning –who would later become the first world monarch for both vehicles, cars and motorcycles; also, the first victory for Honda in Formula 1 ® 1965 , as well as the three victories for the Scottish Jim Clark at Magdalena Mixhuca’s circuit. After the last edition in 1970, sixteen years had to elapse before category Queen returned to Mexico in 1986.

This second stage was held in our country until 1992 and became stage for great battles between extraordinary drivers such as Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Nelson Piquet and Gerhard Berger. Berger surprised everybody when he became leader in 1986 edition, with his strategy of not stopping at the pits to give Benetton his first victory in category Queen.

The following year, Nigel Mansell, got the first of his two victories scored in Magdalena Mixhuca’s circuit with Williams; while in 1989, the Mexican track witnessed the overwhelming domain of McLaren’s Prost and Senna. One of the greatest idols in motor racing world, Ayrton Senna, lived in Mexico, one his most difficult moments in his entire career after experiencing a rollover at Peraltada curve during practices on a Friday in 1992, the final year of FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE MÉXICO’s second season.

As a result of it, the Brazilian criticized the capital’s circuit hardly. Along with the checkered flag received by Mansell in 1992, the F1® packed its bags again to get away from Mexican territory for the second time.

In 2011, with Sergio “Checo” Pérez arrival as head driver for Sauber team, Mexico recovered the expectancy of being the hosts for such event once again. That dream finally came true in July 2014, when Bernie Ecclestone made official the signature of the contract celebrated with Corporación Interamericana de Entretenimiento (CIE), a company leader in entertainment industry and manager of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodríguez, for the return of motor racing top category to our country.

The Mexican racetrack experienced a huge transformation just before receiving for the top category for the third time to our country – that transformation has pleased everyone, thanks mostly to Mexican’s passion for motor racing. With that new image, the engines got turned on again at the Mexican circuit on November 1st, 2015, with the unforgettable triumph of the German Nico Rosberg, inaugurating that way, FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE MÉXICO’s third season.

The following year, during the second edition of this modern era, Lewis Hamilton got to crown himself as a winning driver, confirming team Mercedes’ supremacy. The three-time world champion, said excited: “This is honestly the best audience of all venues. Mexican people show an incredible passion. I love this place!” And so, the question that emerges inevitably, would be, what other anecdotes will arise during the next three F1® editions held in our country.

TABLE OF HISTORICAL WINNERS OF FORMULA 1 GRAND PREMIUM OF MEXICO.