Motorsport

Hermanos Rodriguez: The tragic tale of Mexico’s greatest Formula One drivers

By Matias Grez and Sandy Thin, CNN
Published 7:52 AM EDT, Fri October 26, 2018
MEXICO CITY - NOVEMBER 15: Bronze statue of the great Mexican driver brothers Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez during practice for the Gran Premio Gigante-Telmex, round 19 of the CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) Fed Ex Championship Series on November 15, 2002 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico .(Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images).
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MEXICO CITY - NOVEMBER 15: Bronze statue of the great Mexican driver brothers Pedro and Ricardo Rodriguez during practice for the Gran Premio Gigante-Telmex, round 19 of the CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) Fed Ex Championship Series on November 15, 2002 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico .(Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images).
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CNN  — 

When Sergio Perez takes to the track at this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix, the eyes of the world won’t be on him but, should everything go to plan, a few places further forward on the grid.

Barring a disaster, Lewis Hamilton is all but guaranteed to win his fifth world championship and will rightly take the plaudits for another extraordinary season.

But all eyes in Mexico will most certainly be on Perez, even if he is only engaged in a fight for seventh place.

The Mexican driver will have to deal with the weight of expectation from a motorsport-mad nation and try to perform on a circuit steeped in racing history.

READ: Former teammate on how to beat Lewis Hamilton

READ: F1 drivers racing like they’re in rental cars

On Sunday, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in the country’s capital plays host to its fourth consecutive Mexican GP since the country returned to the Formula One calendar in 2015 after an 11-year absence.

The circuit is named in honor of two gifted brothers, both of whom left an indelible mark on the sport and their country.

Lewis Hamilton sprays second-placed Sebastian Vettel with champagne after winning the Abu Dhabi season-ending race, 11th of his title winning season.
Lewis Hamilton sprays second-placed Sebastian Vettel with champagne after winning the Abu Dhabi season-ending race, 11th of his title winning season.
Lars Baron/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton celebrates his 10th win of the season as he takes the Brazilian GP ahead of Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen.
Lewis Hamilton celebrates his 10th win of the season as he takes the Brazilian GP ahead of Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen.
Lars Baron/Getty Images South America/Getty Images
Lewis Hamilton savors the moment after clinching his fifth F1 world title with fourth place behind Max Verstappen in the Mexican Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton savors the moment after clinching his fifth F1 world title with fourth place behind Max Verstappen in the Mexican Grand Prix.
Dan Istitene/Getty Images North America/Getty Images
Race winner Kimi Raikkonen is flanked by second-placed Max Verstappen (far left) and Lewis Hamilton, who finished third after a thrilling US Grand Prix. Hamilton increased his title lead to 70 points over Sebastian Vettel ahead of the final three rounds of the championship.
Race winner Kimi Raikkonen is flanked by second-placed Max Verstappen (far left) and Lewis Hamilton, who finished third after a thrilling US Grand Prix. Hamilton increased his title lead to 70 points over Sebastian Vettel ahead of the final three rounds of the championship.
Mark Thompson/Getty Images North America/Getty Images