mexican grand prix mexican grand prix formally known formula formula motor race held mexico_city november race contested seventy laps seventeenth race formula season marked seventeenth time run round formula world championship inception time race run qualified pole position having fastest free practice sessions won race mercedes followed teammate secured drivers championship previous event united_states completed podium driving williams ferrari drivers retired crashes losing position championship respectively time australian grand prix ferrari classified report background circuit underwent substantial build event corner complex entry middle track completely retaining original design whilst reducing reliance aerodynamic grip significant changes final corner cut half circuit stadium complex circuit infield beginning turn following similar layout track layout featured drag reduction system zones main straight turns week prior race hurricane largest tropical storm cell record crossed mexican coastline near state previously disrupted tyre supplier brought compounds race races blue banded wet green banded intermediate tyres provided possible rain dry weather slick tyres supplied teams soft medium compounds middle options tyres season free practice regulations season practice sessions scheduled hour sessions friday hour session qualifying saturday session friday started damp track described slippery half hour running intermediate tyres set fastest time tyres teams switched medium compound dry tyres drivers conditions going turns particular mercedes suffered rear brakes forcing pits held fastest time recorded timed laps finished eighth fastest ahead local favourite replaced wheel lotus rest season finished fifteenth fastest tenths second slower teammate pastor fastest time session set young went second sector track followed demoted sixth newly crowned eleventh fastest second session friday afternoon fastest setting time track new surface slippery session saw lot drivers caught biggest accident practice came minutes crashed exit stadium bringing red flags running resumed lost rear caused fault crashed turn having problems corner pastor went track moment turn end practice weekend early clutch failure saw park car minutes session ran laps finished ninth fastest albeit spending half session pits team equipped car new power unit second ahead fastest practice session saturday morning time teammate hamilton rainfall night track slippery beginning practice thirty minutes session grip improved teams opted run faster soft compound tyres set fastest times early hamilton able close gap gradually ended session slightly slower german mercedes close followed tenth second reporting vibrations engine spent time garage ending practice slowest time seconds long main straight delivered fastest speeds seen season lack pure power expected struggle remainder weekend qualifying qualifying consisted parts minutes length respectively drivers eliminated competing sessions qualifying able compete ferrari crew able change gearbox time session running team decided place grid penalty placed grid case marcus half second quicker teammate failed proceed drivers button running driver eliminated proved teammate barely missed making cut set fastest time ahead hamilton driver use soft compound tyre softer tyres setting fastest time session lap minutes second ahead went harder compound tyre aborted running spinning turn leaving fifteenth fastest grid penalty gearbox change come fast lap end session teammate eliminated lotus second mercedes drivers set consecutive fast laps beginning session coming ahead teammate drivers problems improving times second run timed laps tyres hamilton improve early lap effort stopped mistake turn meant unable challenge pole position qualified fourth race row mercedes drivers closely followed ahead williams cars eighth fifth row grid local favourite edged teammate ninth race start got away attack teammate hamilton corner bad saw midst turn touched car suffering forced pits end lap able ended race lap loss power order lap stood hamilton hamilton soon opened gap exchanging fastest laps process got fight sixth place told early cool brakes good progress field 13th position lap lap later runners pit putting medium compound followed lap later teammate moved eighth place lap got fight sixth place asked team stay long possible slowly moved field running eleventh lap spin lap later turn seven falling 16th subsequently complained flat spot tyre continued pitting lap pitted new tyres wing adjustment stop took longer expected rejoined momentum pass turn racing sixth place lap attacked outside turn sticking inside line following corner away ran left williams breaking rear right suspension forcing retire spot able carry came scheduled pit stop lap hamilton waited laps follow suit trying ahead proved unsuccessful rejoined stop lap lap attempted overtake ninth ran wide kept position team radio informed going track handed position pitted second time lap rejoined hamilton albeit lap told let hamilton laps later lap mercedes changed strategies bringing drivers tyre stop dismay complained team radio fight developed fifth place making pass beginning lap lap spun turn seven time hitting barriers ending race bringing safety car double retirement marked time australian grand prix cars classified caution period order stood hamilton restart beginning lap turn taking place laps race hamilton able close ahead able overtake crossed finish line victory followed hamilton post race podium ceremony interviews conducted won race venue mercedes drivers complimented driving highlighting atmosphere enthusiasm fans mexico thanked team saying racing like race winning team post race press conference described fun races worry points point new emerged mercedes hamilton later asserted team favoured weekend order happy local favourite stop strategy said race safety car period destroyed chances better result added perfectly happy teammate finished race said race safety car ended playing hands little bit luck need good result speaking race 14th placed said painful think word harder tyre start waving goodbye stated believed affected high altitude teams lap outing explained problem caused retirement discovered night added possibilities retire car starting race try maximum knowing maybe laps maximum achieve lap respect fans amazing weekend following worst weekend years ferrari self critical quoted describing race shit job later took responsibility race ending crash saying probably ask want little bit speaking collision ferrari team principal said accident don want blame anybody went describe weekend good lesson team taking positive things race good race pace shown cars result double retirement ferrari drivers lost respective positions drivers championship overtaken second place lost fourth position standings williams moved closer ferrari second place trailing points prize giving ceremony december organizers awarded prize classification qualifying notes received place grid penalties exceeding allowed allocation power unit components place grid penalty unauthorized gearbox change received place grid penalty engine change place grid penalty unauthorized gearbox change set lap time received permission start race additionally received place place grid penalties exceeding allowed allocation power unit components engine gearbox changes race championship standings race note positions included sets standings bold text indicates world champions
2015 Mexican Grand Prix