Mexico staying on Formula One calendar until 2025

MEXICO CITY — Mexico will continue to host Formula One until 2025 at least after signing a three-year extension, both sides said.

The deal, announced ahead of Sunday’s grand prix, follows an agreement between the government of Mexico City and promoters CIE.

The grand prix at the capital’s Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez returned to the calendar in 2015 after a 23-year absence. The initial five-year contract was extended in 2019 to the end of this year.

This year’s event is expected to attract a three-day crowd of more than 350,000 spectators.

“Every year the race attracts a large number of passionate fans and the atmosphere is incredible,” said Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali according to Reuters. “I know everyone will be excited by this news.”

Elsewhere, Lewis Hamilton expects Mercedes to end the 2022 Formula 1 season winless, despite having come agonisingly close to sealing victory at the United States Grand Prix.

Mercedes have endured a hugely-disappointing campaign following the introduction of new design regulations and saw their eight-year streak of constructors’ championships officially ended on Sunday as Red Bull added the title to Max Verstappen’s second successive drivers’ crown.

After an encouraging display in Austin, whether or not Mercedes can win one of the final three races – starting in Mexico this weekend – has been a hot topic of discussion, but the seven-time world champion is not confident.

Hamilton pointed to the fact that his strong race performance was aided by being boosted to third on the grid because of penalties for Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.

“I think we really need to be realistic,” Hamilton said. “The Red Bull car has been the fastest car by far all year and it is still the fastest car.

“So [in USA] we were in the position we were in through reliability. If Charles was there, if Perez was there for example, it would have been a different race because they would have been ahead of us. We would have been on the third row.

“It was great to start third and be in a position to fight, but on true pace they were ahead of us today and they will be the next three races.”