Mexico City Grand Prix preview: five things US fans should watch this weekend

The Mexico City Grand Prix runs October 30 to November 1 at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, and it could be the weekend the 2026 drivers' title is decided. Start times for every session in Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific time are in our Mexico City race times guide. Here is what is worth following.

1. Antonelli's first shot at the title

Kimi Antonelli arrives 123 points clear of George Russell and 124 clear of Lewis Hamilton, according to Sky Sports. He is champion on Sunday if he finishes ninth or better, or if neither Russell nor Hamilton wins the race. F1 Oversteer adds that tenth is also enough unless the winner is Russell. We explain why that small difference exists in our tiebreak rules explainer, and the full points math is in how Antonelli can clinch in Mexico City.

If he does it, history follows. Antonelli is 20, and Martin Brundle wrote for Sky Sports that he would beat Sebastian Vettel's record as the youngest champion by more than three years and become the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953. He comes in off a dominant win from pole in Austin, covered in our United States Grand Prix report.

2. The thin air

The circuit sits roughly 2,200 meters above sea level, which is more than 7,000 feet, as both Sky Sports and F1 Oversteer note. Thin air means less downforce and less cooling, so cars run with lots of wing and still slide around. It also makes the long run to Turn 1, about 1.2 kilometers or three quarters of a mile, one of the best overtaking spots of the year.

3. Ferrari and Hamilton's setup question

Hamilton told reporters that he has "lost out" with the setup of his car compared to teammate Charles Leclerc in recent races, Sky Sports reports. Leclerc finished second in Austin, so Ferrari arrives with momentum on at least one side of the garage. Hamilton is still one of only two drivers who can mathematically stop Antonelli, so his pace matters for the title as well as for Ferrari.

4. Russell after his Austin penalty

Russell lost ground in Austin after a five second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage on the opening lap, which Brundle called harsh in his Sky Sports column. A Russell win is the one result that keeps the title open if Antonelli stumbles, so watch the Mercedes teammates closely at the start.

5. Pérez, Cadillac and a home crowd

Sergio Pérez is back at his home race after missing it in 2025, and Sunday will be his 300th Grand Prix. Cadillac is marking the moment with a show run on Paseo de la Reforma on Wednesday ahead of its first Mexico City Grand Prix, according to the team. We cover the event and what to expect from the American team in our Cadillac Mexico City story, and you can follow every Cadillac story on the Cadillac hub.

Weather and history

F1 Oversteer expects clear skies with temperatures of roughly 68 to 81 degrees Fahrenheit and only a small chance of rain. The same outlet notes that Lando Norris won here in 2025 by more than 30 seconds, and that drivers' titles have been settled in Mexico before, most recently by Hamilton in 2017 and 2018.

How to watch in the US

Apple TV is the exclusive US home of the sport this season, with every session streamed live, as Apple and the BBC both note. Apple lists the subscription at $14.99 a month. The race starts at 2 PM local time on Sunday, per the official timetable, which is 3 PM Eastern because US clocks fall back that same morning. Check our times guide for your zone and the latest standings before the lights go out.