Formula 1 heads to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the Mexico City Grand Prix, the circuit with the highest altitude on the calendar - a staggering 2,285m above sea level.
Mexico City’s thinner air reduces aerodynamic downforce by around 25%. Teams compensate by running high-downforce wings, but the reduced air density still leaves the cars with less grip, increasing sliding through corners and making the tyres much more susceptible to graining. The high altitude also affects how teams manage temperatures. The air is less effective at cooling the car, meaning teams must balance tyre performance with the need to keep the brakes, power unit and other components within their operating windows.
Tyre supplier Pirelli has selected the softest three compounds in its 2026 slick range: the C3 as the Hard, the C4 as the Medium and the C5 as the Soft.
Unlike previous seasons that experimented with a compound gap selection in Mexico, the 2026 allocation uses three consecutive compounds to encourage a mix of strategy options and open the door to potential two-stop race.
Here’s how this weekend’s allocation looks:
Compound | Pirelli Tyre | Number of Sets |
|---|---|---|
C5 | Soft | 8 |
C4 | Medium | 3 |
C3 | Hard | 2 |
