The Locals' Guide to the Mexico City Grand Prix Weekend

Enrique del Bosque has attended his fair share of Formula 1 races around the world. From iconic circuits like the Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Italy—the famed home of Team Ferrari—to newer racetracks in Las Vegas and Lusail City in Qatar, the Mexican content creator with the largest F1-related TikTok following in Latin America has been a guest at plenty of paddocks and VIP parties.Still, he says, nothing compares to the festive spirit that accompanies the Mexico City Grand Prix.“Other [destinations] are mostly about the racing,” del Bosque says. “Mexico has its own flavor. The party is bigger, especially with important cultural events like Día de Muertos going on at the same time.” He also references chilango—a term used for Mexico City residents and their bombastic, out-of-pocket antics—that gives the city a uniquely local sporting energy.Mexico City is no stranger to larger-than-life sporting events. Earlier this summer, the football-crazed capital hosted the 2026 World Cup. Online and elsewhere, fans raved about the experience, highlighting not just the sporting event itself but also Mexico City’s overall appeal as a host city, from its gastronomic attractions to its welcoming atmosphere for out-of-towners.The Mexico City Grand Prix has become a much-anticipated race on the Formula 1 circuit. GettyThe country’s storied motorsport lineage can be traced to 1963, when Formula 1 originally added a Grand Prix in Mexico’s capital. After an on-again, off-again run, it returned for good in 2015 after a complete rebrand, and is under contract until at least 2028.Today, the Mexico City GP is recognized as one of the Formula 1 circuit’s intercontinental darlings. In 2025, the race drew 401,326 fans, making it the third most attended among F1’s 24 races. And F1’s overall popularity in Mexico is surging, with an estimated 48 million supporters across the country.Much of that enthusiasm is fueled by Sergio “Checo” Pérez, a Mexico City native and driver for the all-new Cadillac team, whose homecoming draws massive support: “Mexican fans are very creative. They’re always coming up with new chants and cheers,” Pérez told Condé Nast Traveler between his races at Bahrain and Singapore in early October. “I think a lot of people saw [the passion of Mexican fans] during the last World Cup. What happens here is difficult to explain until you experience it for yourself.”This year will mark Pérez’s first time back at Mexico City’s Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez since 2024, and on Wednesday morning, fans will gather to see him drive through Paseo de la Reforma, a popular thoroughfare that courses out from the gates of Chapultepec Park, in his 1,000 horsepower Cadillac.Mexico City’s charm, however, extends beyond the racetrack—and for many travelers, the event is just a gateway into exploring the best the city has to offer. Few know that better than local resident Iván Saldaña. As founder of Mexican spirits company Casa Lumbre and co-creator of Almave, the world’s first non-alcoholic agave beverage, along with seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, the tastemaker knows the ins-and-outs of CDMX as intimately as his business partner Hamilton knows the intricacies of a racetrack. “There is an appetite here, and I don’t mean only for food and drink. I mean for life.”Another local who will attest to Mexico City’s neoteric pleasures is Lilmister P, a muralist and clothing designer from Iztapalapa, a community in the city’s outskirts known for its street culture. Last year, the artist designed sugar skull- or calaverita de azúcar-inspired luchador masks for F1 Williams racers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon. The year prior, he created an F1-themed wheat paste mural that was featured in ESPN’s coverage of the Grand Prix. The Mexico City-raised artist also explores his hometown’s food scene as part of his “Ando Con Hambre” series on YouTube.“The fandom keeps growing,” says Lilmister P. “Before it was more niche. But now during F1 race weekend, you will see lots of people all over, outside of the race track, in every neighborhood, riding public transit, wearing the gear. You can tell the fans are out. Everyone is singing, partying, and chanting.”This year, hometown hero Checo Pérez kicks off race weekend in style, roaring down Paseo de la Reforma in his Cadillac. GettyWhere to base yourselfAll of the experts agree: Paseo de la Reforma in Colonia Juárez is the hot spot for race weekend. A tree-lined neighborhood, it boasts plenty of bars, restaurants, and race day entertainment. It also borders the route where Checo Pérez will zoom by in his Cadillac on Wednesday, October 28, at 10 a.m.Importantly, the area provides easy-to-access metro transit to reach the track, located on the eastern end of the sprawling city. To get to Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, take the metro (look for the brown Metro Line 9) to avoid getting entangled in traffic snarls.Where to eatWhen he’s in town, Checo Pérez swears by breakfast at El Cardenal (an old-school dining institution dating back to 1969) and dinner at either Pujol or Limosneros (two Michelin-starred fine-dining favorites, where advanced reservations are required).Didn't get to booking soon enough? There’s plenty else to relish, race weekend or not. Saldaña suggests Havre 77, a cozy bistro run by Mexican chef Eduardo García, his go-to for the French onion soup and namesake burgers (the best burgers in Mexico’s capital, according to him).For those curious about the depth of Mexico’s extensive food traditions, El Hidalguense is a surefire choice, and is open on weekends only—perfect for F1 fans who need a break from the high-octane action. Lamb barbacoa tacos garnished with pápalo and radishes, and served with a side of consommé and patitas de carnero (lamb’s feet) are the main draw at this humble, Hidalgo-style eatery in Roma Sur. “You are tasting a living tradition, not a fashionable interpretation of one,” Saldaña says of the indigenous cooking technique, which involves slow-cooking the meat in maguey leaves.In Reforma, Lilmister P suggests heading to Cantina Salón Ríos near the Angel of Independence. A modernized take on the classic Mexican cantina, it features an extensive cocktail menu, plus large televisions that are ideal for catching any exciting overtakes. To fuel up for the long afternoon, order the Molcajete Caliente: a stew-like mix of grilled arrachera, queso panela, nopales, chistorra (Spanish chorizo), and chile pasilla salsa, with a side of fresh corn and flour tortillas plus volcanes—a crunchy, tostada-like tortilla.For the truly voracious, plan a post-race pit stop at Charly’s Alitas y Postres, a sidewalk stand on José María Roa Bárcenas 46 in Colonia Obrera that slings a rare Christmas-style taco topped with pork loin, tamarind salsa, and a Mexican holiday spaghetti prepared with orange juice and white wine.What to doCadillac’s Pérez recommends tacking on a couple extra days to the weekend. “Honestly, two days will never be enough,” he says. “Mexico City is such a huge, diverse place that even locals keep discovering new things all year long.There’s plenty to do over the weekend if you’re not glued to a stadium seat, including F1 watch parties and DJ events. Soho House Mexico City will host a Sunday race screening with a full brunch menu and a Patron-sponsored poolside after-party. Polanco’s Casa Imperial—inspired by the luxury of Porfirian-era salons and historic Mexican brasseries of the late 19th century—is known to transform into an F1 hub on race day while also offering a seven-course tasting menu. For a more international vibe, Pinche Gringo BBQ, an American-owned barbecue mainstay with two locations in the city, tends to get lively for large sporting events.Since the Grand Prix coincidences with Mexico’s Día de Muertos holiday, Paseo de la Reforma will be decorated with over 300 giant alebrijes—mythical creatures that are believed to be spiritual guides in the afterlife—made by local artisans as part of an annual parade organized by Museo de Arte Popular.“The ambiance in Mexico City is crazy,” del Bosque says. “You will feel the connection with the fans. We have our driver, and people go to support him and to celebrate and have fun. Free tequila, that kind of thing.”“That’s what I like about traveling for F1,” he adds. “You get to experience other cultures and people.” For a few days, “you get to be part of a big family.”