Technical Corners Make Mexico City Track A Favorite

[PressRoom-GFN]

MEXICO CITY - One reason Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series drivers enjoy the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is the track's technical corners.

The 2.5-mile track offers drivers a variety of tough turns that make small mistakes turn into big ones. A strong car in the turns may prove victorious at the track, whose other variables include altitude and temperature.

Transition is key to running this challenging track, says No. 66 TRG Marquis Jet/Mitchell Rubber Porsche GT3 co-driver Bryce Miller.

"I really enjoy the track. It offers a good balance of daring high-speed corners, hard-braking zones, and a tight complex series known as the esses, which involves multiple transitions," Miller said. "This makes the circuit challenging, both to drive and to obtain a good car setup."

Part of the reason the track is so technical is because it is also modern, 2005 race co-winner Memo Gidley said. Formula One cars first competed there in 1962 and as recent as 1992.

"The facility itself is quite modern with lots of runoff areas, good curbing, a really long and technically challenging series of esses and the ‘parabolica' banked turn - all of which makes it a really fun track," said Gidley, who was born in La Paz, Mexico.

The track's long straightaway will prove especially worthy for the higher-powered cars. But it's the esses everyone talks about. Among those talking is Ron Fellows, who is piloting the No. 06 Banner Racing Banner Engineering Pontiac GXP.R with team owner Leighton Reese at Mexico City.

"It's a great facility," Fellows said. "It's got a big, long front straight that's a good passing zone, and the last corner is really fast. It's now lined with concrete walls, so it's even more challenging. The esses in the back, one after another, get faster and faster, and then the exit is very quick. It's a lot of fun to drive."

Practice begins Thursday, with qualifying Friday and Saturday's two-and-three-quarter-hour or 250-mile Mexico City 250 is scheduled for 3 p.m. local time.

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