Verstappen and Hadjar brace for an exceptionally slippery challenge in Mexico

Max Verstappen expects the track in Mexico to be “slippery as hell”. Isack Hadjar shares his concern: both drivers describe an especially severe challenge, driven in part by limited grip and altitude, which complicate car setup and engine operation.

“There is a lot less grip here. With the altitude, we can normally compensate a little by choosing the wings, but this time you basically run one configuration,” Verstappen said. Teams traditionally use wing levels in Mexico close to those at Monaco because the drag penalty there is small. In previous years, wing choices could still partly offset the effects of altitude. That flexibility has diminished this year with active aerodynamics, the two Red Bull drivers explained.

Altitude also affects the downforce and grip drivers experience, making a difficult weekend likely. Verstappen expects the car to have less downforce, putting greater emphasis on low-speed performance. Hadjar, meanwhile, summed up what he expects behind the wheel: “I’m just thinking how extreme it’s going to be to drive these cars.” He had already predicted that the weekend would be “slippery as hell” for the drivers.

The challenge is not limited to how the car behaves on track. Hadjar also pointed to extreme conditions for cooling the car, engine, tyres and brakes, adding that the driver could feel the effects too. Verstappen likewise expects fine-tuning throughout the weekend, particularly to establish how the engine should operate and manage temperatures in the car and brakes.

The power unit brings another question. Honda chief engineer Shintaro Orihara recalled that the team had the support of the MGU-H last year, but no longer has it this year. He said the change makes turbo lag—the delay in the turbocharger’s response—especially important in Mexico, and believes all manufacturers could face it. If there is not enough turbo boost, Honda might have to run the internal combustion engine at reduced power in the worst-case scenario.

Orihara nevertheless said dyno testing suggested a small, or almost no, effect on Honda’s engine operation. The team still needs to check the situation in free practice. Turbocharger speed is normally high in Mexico to provide enough airflow, and restricting engine operation remains possible in the worst case. Orihara said Honda had no concern at the moment, but wanted to verify the situation on track.

Honda brought measures to Austin to reduce turbo lag and confirmed they had a positive effect. But Orihara stressed that the altitude makes the Mexican challenge very different. Work is continuing at Sakura in Japan, where Honda is exploring several options, including the MGU-K energy-harvesting strategy. For Verstappen, the immediate priority is to see how the car behaves in these particular conditions, rather than focus on Ferrari or Mercedes, both of which he expects to be competitive.