2021 Mexican Grand Prix Prediction: Potential Title-Winning Victory, Ferrari-McLaren F1 Battle & More

There is a great deal of uncertainty looming over the ultimate world champion as we move into the final part of the 2021 F1 season. The United States recently put on an amazing show for fans during Formula One’s return weekend to the Americas, and the next in line is in the City of Palaces – the Mexican Grand Prix.

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Of course, the two big guns are in the spotlight – Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The duo have carried the show in Bahrain from the start and could continue to do so all the way to the checkered flag in Abu Dhabi.

Formula 1 F1 – Bahrain Grand Prix – Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain – March 28, 2021 Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton celebrates winning the Pool race via REUTERS / Lars Baron

But there are many other factors to look forward to on the racing weekend on the tricky high-speed Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit. With the Mexican GP being the 18th race on the 2021 calendar, many drivers are eager to deliver strong results for the team.

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While the top and top midfield teams are under pressure to score points to beat their respective rivals, other teams at the bottom of the field will be looking for a strong end to the season to comfort themselves with Price.

Here are the things to watch out for in Mexico.

Driver fight for P1 and P5

We have already mentioned the candidates who can fight for P1 in the championship. But there’s something interesting going on at P5 below. Lando Norris has barely scored any points in the last few weeks, which left Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz appallingly close in the overall standings.

Formula 1 F1 – United States Grand Prix – Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, USA – October 23, 2021 McLaren’s Lando Norris during practice REUTERS / Mike Blake

Just 21 points separate Norris and Leclerc, and considering how the trend has been since Spa, there’s a big chance the Monegaske will hook into P5 and push the Brit down. In addition to the Ferrari duo, there is also Daniel Ricciardo, who is trying out his chances for P5.

So in the midst of such a tight battle for championship position, Mexico could be very crucial for the drivers. Mexico will very likely match Ferrari’s powertrain, which under normal circumstances already looks vastly superior to the McLaren-Mercedes.

Given that Ferrari was the season’s underdog, who knows, maybe one of the red-clad drivers might expect a podium.

The weather will likely add another two-stopper to the Mexican Grand Prix

The sun was beating down at COTA last weekend, although the effect was quite small as a light breeze kept the moisture out. Even so, the track temperature rose enough to affect the tires. The tire wear was enormous and forced the entire starting field into a two-stopper race.

Formula 1 F1 – United States Grand Prix – Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, USA – October 24, 2021 Red Bulls Max Verstappen during a pool pit stop via REUTERS / Darron Cummings

In Mexico, that may not be the case. Similar to the USA, the riders at the Mexican GP will use the tire compounds C2 (hard), C3 (medium) and C4 (soft). And the temperatures should also fluctuate around 20 ° C to 23 ° C on race day.

However, as more gusts and a clear temperature trend are expected, the track will likely cool down quickly. The temperature could see a rapid spike to its peak and drop to below 15 ° C in no time. In addition, possible cloud cover should play a role in keeping the track temperature under control.

Hence a one-stopper on cards.

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Bad Mexico trip 2019 will haunt Red Bull?

It was certainly a terrible weekend for the Red Bull duo in Mexico in 2019. Not only had they lost a lot of pace against Mercedes, but they weren’t fast enough to challenge the Prancing Stallions either. It took about 69 seconds for Verstappen to see the checkered flag after Hamilton crossed the finish line on P1.

He also finished the race behind his then teammate Alex Albon. So can Super Max change things next weekend? Well, sure. In fact, this is his best chance to sit on the Wall of Legends in Mexico.

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Red Bull Racing prepares to start on the grid ahead of the Mexico F1 Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Dan Istitene / Getty Images)

Verstappen currently has the most wins in Mexico with Jim Clark, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost and Lewis Hamilton. And given the Dutchman’s recent form, there’s a good chance Verstappen could beat the legends and top the list.

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Another exciting weekend of cards at the Mexican Grand Prix

Tracks designed by Hermann Tilke have hardly produced crisp finishes in the past, but the opposite has happened this season. The French GP, the Russian GP and the United States GP all managed to keep fans in suspense.

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MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – OCTOBER 27: Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Great Britain during the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 27, 2019 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Peter J. Fox / Getty Images)

So there is no reason not to think about why such an intense racing weekend could also prevail in Mexico. The first sector will be electric, especially if there is a light failure on Sunday afternoon.

The long descent to Turn 1 followed by another long straight between Turn 3 and 4 give the drivers a great show for the fans. Therefore, an electrifying weekend in the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in the midst of potentially full grandstands is ahead.

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So can the fans spice up the Mexican Grand Prix and trigger an absolute festival? Well, we’ll know in time.

View history: Top 5 victories of Max Verstappen’s Formula 1 career