Formula 1 Mexico Grand Prix 2026, Digi Mart USA News (Mexico City): Checo Pérez returned to race in Mexico, Max Verstappen took the victory, and Kimi Antonelli left the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez as world champion. The weekend, however, produced far more than those headline results, including a crash that forced a race stoppage, a Día de Muertos celebration in the paddock, parties at Soho House and a Gordon Ramsay dining experience priced at more than 500,000 pesos.
Max Verstappen won the Mexico Grand Prix for Red Bull after starting from fifth place. Lewis Hamilton finished second for Ferrari, just 0.799 seconds behind, and Kimi Antonelli completed the podium for Mercedes.
The race featured a battle between the two Ferraris in the early laps, a penalty for Charles Leclerc for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, and a crash by Valtteri Bottas that triggered a red flag.
Although Verstappen crossed the line first, much of the attention went to Kimi Antonelli. The 20-year-old Italian needed to finish in the top nine to secure the championship and finished third.
That result made him the youngest world champion in Formula 1 history, surpassing the record previously held by Sebastian Vettel. Mexico was the setting for his first title and a historic celebration for Mercedes.
One of the most tense moments came on lap 44, when Valtteri Bottas suffered a failure in the front-left suspension of his Cadillac while braking for the first corner. The car lost control and hit the barriers at more than 300 kilometers per hour.
The impact damaged the track protection and forced a red-flag stoppage for repairs. Fortunately, the Finnish driver was able to climb out of the car under his own power and was taken to the medical center for a check-up.
The race resumed on lap 47, with the drivers returning to the grid.
The week began with Checo Pérez behind the wheel of a single-seater on Paseo de la Reforma. On October 28, the Mexican driver carried out a showrun between the Diana Cazadora and the Ángel de la Independencia.
The event drew about 100,000 people, and some fans climbed trees and monuments to get a better view. Valtteri Bottas, his Cadillac teammate, also attended and greeted the crowd.
It was a special week for Checo, who was celebrating his 300th Grand Prix and racing at home for the American team.
On Sunday, however, the race did not go as he hoped. Checo rose to 13th during the race, but a slow pit stop cost him time and positions.
The driver explained that a problem with one of the wheel guns affected his stop. He then received a five-second penalty for exceeding the speed limit in the pit lane and finished 16th.
His teammate Valtteri Bottas also could not complete the race after the crash. It was not the result Mexican fans hoped for, but Checo’s return was one of the central themes of the week.
The paddock also had its own version of Día de Muertos. Between the garages and guest areas there were catrinas, face paint and details inspired by the Mexican celebration.
One of the most moving was a tribute to Roscoe, Lewis Hamilton’s dog, who died in 2025 and was often seen accompanying the driver.
Guests at the weekend also included well-known names. Gordon Ramsay attended with his wife, Tana, and presented a dining experience inside the circuit.
Among the guests who visited the Autódromo were Victoria Justice, Aislinn Derbez, Martha Debayle, Rafa Márquez, Osmar Olvera and Arturo Elías Ayub, along with content creators and Mexican entertainment figures.
One of the most exclusive experiences was Gordon Ramsay at F1 Garage. The chef brought his concept to the circuit with a space located next to the pit lane and direct views of the garages.
The published price exceeded 500,000 Mexican pesos, making it one of the most exclusive plans of the weekend.
Elsewhere in the paddock, the offerings were more casual: tacos from Atarantados, Roxy ice cream, Dorilocos, cocktails and beer. For perspective, a beer sold for about 220 pesos and an order of tacos cost about 190.
There were also spaces for customizing clothing and getting Catrina-style makeup.
Outside the Autódromo, one of the most visited spots was the F1 Hub, set up at Masaryk 29 from October 24 to November 2. The store offered official team apparel, category products and special Grand Prix collections, including collaborations with Disney and Disney Pixar, among them pieces inspired by the Cars universe.
On Saturday, October 31, Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, visited the space to meet fans. For those without circuit tickets, the Hub offered a way to get closer to the race atmosphere and buy official products.
The week also had a stop for fashion lovers. Tommy Hilfiger and Cadillac opened a pop-up at El Palacio de Hierro Polanco to present their joint collection.
Checo Pérez attended the opening, where visitors could find pieces from the collection and special items bearing his name and the number 11.
Another collaboration that drew attention was between Disney and Formula 1 for Día de Muertos. The project brought Disney characters and references into motorsport, with an exhibition car and special products.
Formula 1 also had its own off-track schedule. Soho House Mexico City organized three days of activities alongside the Grand Prix.
On Friday, a Heineken party featured a DJ set by Parcels; Saturday brought a session by Leon Bridges; and on Sunday the house screened the race followed by a party with music by Dombrance.
The programming made the venue one of the weekend’s gathering points for guests and fans. Beyond the 71 laps, much of the Formula 1 experience in Mexico lies in the events organized around the race, including dinners, parties and meetups that bring together people arriving in the city from many places.
The 2026 Mexico Grand Prix drew 405,363 people over three days. On Sunday, race day, 155,352 fans attended.
With these figures, the event surpassed its previous attendance record and closed an edition marked by Pérez’s return, Antonelli’s first championship and a schedule that filled different parts of the city.
Between Verstappen’s victory, Antonelli’s title, Pérez’s return, Bottas’s crash and the activities that spread across the city, this edition had enough stories to go well beyond the final result. Although Sunday ended with a new world champion, for many fans Formula 1 began well before the lights went out.
