F1 Mexican Grand Prix: Mexico City, the Race, and a Cozumel Side Trip

Updated April 2026 | 4 min read

The Mexican Grand Prix at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is one of the best races on the F1 calendar for atmosphere. The stadium section in the old baseball stadium is unlike anything else in motorsport. We combined the race weekend with a few days exploring Mexico City and a side trip to Cozumel afterward.

Getting to Mexico City

Direct flights from New York to Mexico City run about 5 hours. We flew out Thursday evening and landed around 10:30pm. The airport (MEX) is close to the city center, and an Uber to Roma Norte or Condesa runs 200-350 MXN ($12-20 USD). Avoid the taxi touts inside the terminal.

One thing nobody warned us about: altitude. Mexico City sits at 2,240 meters (7,350 feet). We felt it on the first morning. Drink water, skip the mezcal on night one, and give yourself a day to adjust before the race. We brought a packable daypack that fit under the grandstand seat — race day is long and you need water, sunscreen, and snacks accessible.

For connectivity, grab an Airalo eSIM before you land. Mexico has solid 4G coverage in the city.

Race Day at the Autodromo

The circuit is in the Magdalena Mixhuca park, about 20 minutes from the Centro Historico by Metro. Take Line 9 to Ciudad Deportiva. On race day the Metro is packed but efficient. We got there 3 hours before the race and it was already buzzing.

From our grandstand the track sat right in front of us, with the stadium section and its packed terraces off to one side. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is loud in a way the altitude seems to amplify, and the crowd treats the whole day like a festival.

The 2025 race was a strong one for my drivers. Lando Norris won from pole and took over the championship lead, but Charles Leclerc finished second, holding off Max Verstappen by under a second after a tense finish. Oscar Piastri came fifth and Lewis Hamilton eighth, so all three of my favorites were in the top eight, with Leclerc only just missing the fight for the win.

The Foro Sol (stadium section) is the signature experience. The old baseball stadium was converted into a 20,000-seat amphitheater around the final turns. The crowd chants, waves, and the energy is comparable to a football match. Bring high-fidelity earplugs — the sound in the grandstands is physically painful without them, and the cheap foam ones kill the atmosphere. If you can only afford one F1 race, this is the one I would pick for pure atmosphere.

General admission gets you access to large grass areas with big screens. Not bad, but you miss the Foro Sol experience. Grandstand tickets for the stadium section run $400-700 USD depending on how early you book.

Mexico City Beyond the Race

We had two full days in the city before the race. Friday we did a food tour through the Centro Historico, which covered the Zocalo, the cathedral, and ended at Mercado San Juan. The market has everything from imported cheeses to exotic meats. Our guide was excellent and the tour included about 8 tastings.

Saturday morning we took a 5am hot air balloon over Teotihuacan. Yes, 5am is brutal. Yes, it was worth it. Floating over the Pyramid of the Sun at sunrise with a 360-degree view of the Valley of Mexico is a top-three travel moment for us. Book through Viator and expect to pay $150-200 per person.

In the evenings, Roma Norte and Condesa are where you want to be. The restaurant scene is world-class. We did a night taco and mezcal crawl that hit four taco stands and two mezcalerias. Cost was about $60 per person including all food and drinks.

The Cozumel Extension

After the race on Sunday, we flew Monday morning from Mexico City to Cozumel (about 2 hours, Volaris runs cheap flights). Cozumel is a completely different vibe. The island is famous for drift diving along the Mesoamerican Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world.

We spent three days on the island. Diving was the priority. The Palancar Reef and Columbia Wall dives had incredible visibility (30+ meters) and healthy coral. A two-tank dive runs about $80-100 USD. The diving here is easier and more relaxed than what we did at Richelieu Rock in Thailand.

Non-diving days we rented a scooter ($25/day) and drove the coastal road on the east side of the island. A waterproof phone pouch is non-negotiable on Cozumel — between the salt spray on the scooter and snorkeling off the beach, your phone will get wet. Rough waves, empty beaches, and a few beach bars. It felt nothing like Cancun.

What It Cost

For the full trip (October 2025, 8 days total):

• Flights NYC to CDMX round trip: ~$350/person
• CDMX to Cozumel one-way: ~$60/person
• F1 tickets (Foro Sol grandstand): $550/person
• Hotels in CDMX (3 nights, boutique in Roma Norte): ~$120/night
• Hotel in Cozumel (3 nights): ~$90/night
• Hot air balloon: $180/person
• Food tours and taco crawls: ~$60/person each
• Diving in Cozumel (2 days): ~$180/person
• Daily food and transport: ~$40-60/day for two

Total for two: roughly $3,800 for 8 days. Mexico is extremely good value for what you get.

Would We Do It Again

Absolutely. The Mexican Grand Prix has the best crowd energy of any race we have attended, and Mexico City’s food scene alone justifies the trip. Adding Cozumel was the right call. The diving was a perfect cooldown after the race weekend intensity.

The only thing we would change: more days in CDMX. Two days was not enough. Next time we would do four in the city and skip the balloon for Xochimilco instead.

Compare Mexico City flights on Skyscanner and browse Cozumel diving on Viator.

Book Tours: GetYourGuide Mexico City food tours and Teotihuacan day trips | GetYourGuide Cozumel snorkeling and reef tours

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