Lotus’ Romain Grosjean believes growing up in the Swiss mountains will help him tackle the challenge of racing at a higher altitude during this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix.
Formula One travels to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez for the first time since Williams’ Nigel Mansell took victory in 1992. Although the Mexico City venue has been entirely overhauled to welcome back motor racing’s pinnacle, the circuit’s location is still 2,285 m above sea level.
“The city is very high but for me that’s a good thing as I was born in the mountains!” said Grosjean. “I’m a big fan of skiing and cycling in the mountains too, so I think I’ll be pretty well prepared.
“I don’t think it’s going to cause the drivers any issues, but I know there are a few areas to give some different calculations to the engineers.
“It’s going to be different with the brake cooling and things like that, but every track has its characteristics so I’m sure we’ll get on top of it pretty quickly.”
Coming off a rain-disrupted USGP, F1 teams and drivers might have to deal with further difficult weather conditions this weekend, in the aftermath of Hurricane Patricia. Asked about such eventuality, Grosjean admits that driving in the wet requires a specific set of skills behind the wheel.
“The level of grip can vary so much over the course of a lap, let alone over the course of a race. You’re more tentative, feeling your way around and you have to react very quickly as the car can start sliding very easily.
“You have to be wary of puddles and the risk of aquaplaning. Understeer and oversteer are much more present and evident on every corner when it’s really wet and visibility is a very big concern.
“A car out front or in clear track has an advantage over something in the pack. It can be a lot of fun but sometimes it can seem pretty crazy too.”
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