The bag limit at the Mexico City Grand Prix is smaller than most fans expect. A bag can be no bigger than 10 × 15 × 30 cm, and chairs, blankets and outside drinks are all banned. The circuit at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is also split into colour zones that do not connect inside, and it sits more than 2,200 metres above sea level. This guide covers what you can carry, how entry works, how to pay and what to expect once you are inside.
What do you need to know before the Mexico City Grand Prix?
The Mexico City Grand Prix allows bags up to 10 × 15 × 30 cm, bans outside food, drink, chairs and blankets, and does not allow re-entry. Your ticket opens one colour zone only, and you cannot walk between zones inside. We recommend you pack light, check your gate, and plan for strong sun at 2,200 metres.
What does your ticket include?
Your ticket is digital and valid only for the day printed on it. It shows your zone, your gate and your grandstand section. Tickets are not transferable between days, and screenshots are not scanned, so we recommend you load the ticket into your phone wallet or the official app before you leave your hotel.
Your ticket opens one zone only. The zones do not connect inside the circuit, so you cannot walk from one to another. Zona Amarilla and Zona Rosa tickets also give access to Zona Azul, which is where the F1 Fan Zone sits.
We recommend you buy only from official sellers, since fake and duplicated tickets are common. Please do not post photos of your ticket online, as the barcode can be copied. For ticket categories and prices, see our Mexico City Grand Prix tickets guide. To choose between them, see our Which Ticket guide.
Where should you stay for the Mexico City Grand Prix?
Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the Americas, and the circuit is in the east of it. Your choice of base changes your journey more than any other decision on this trip. Few hotels sit next to the circuit, so most fans stay in other parts of the city and travel in. For areas, journey shapes and booking advice, see our Mexico City Grand Prix travel guide.
What is there to do around Mexico City?
Mexico City is a strong city break in its own right. You can eat street tacos and market food, walk the historic centre around the Zócalo, visit the museums and canals of Coyoacán, or spend an afternoon in Chapultepec Park. Race weekend adds a festival feel in the bars and restaurants across the city. We recommend you keep sightseeing for Thursday, since the three race days are long.
How do people get to the circuit?
There is no parking at the circuit. Most fans arrive by Metro, bus or ride-hailing, and some use organised shuttles from other parts of the city. The roads around the circuit are busy on all three days. We recommend you read the full journey options in our travel guide before you pick a base.
When do the gates open?
The gates open early on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, well before the first session. The circuit has 14 entrances, and each one serves a set of zones. For exact opening times and when to arrive each day, see our Mexico City Grand Prix schedule.
Which gate should you use for your ticket?
Use the gate printed on your ticket. Each gate opens one zone or a pair of zones, so a wrong gate means a long walk around the outside of the circuit.
| Your zone | Gates |
| Zona Verde (green) | 4 and 7 |
| Zona Naranja (orange) | 8 |
| Zona Azul (blue) | 9 and 12 |
| Zona Amarilla (yellow) | 13 and 14 |
| Zona Rosa (pink) | Enter through Zona Azul (9 or 12), then cross the pedestrian bridge |
| Zona Gris (grey) and Zona Café (brown), inside Foro Sol | 1 |
This layout can change from year to year, so we recommend you check it against your ticket before race day. For where each zone sits on the track, see our circuit map.
What is different about visiting the Mexico City Grand Prix?
Three things set this race apart from most others: the sealed zones, the altitude and the sun.
The zones. If your friends sit in a different zone, you will not be able to meet inside the circuit. We recommend you agree a meeting point outside the gates before you go in, because you cannot re-enter once you leave.
The altitude. The circuit is above 2,200 metres. The air is thinner, so stairs and long walks feel harder on your first day. Alcohol also hits faster at height. We recommend you drink water steadily, eat normally and take the first day gently.
The atmosphere. The lap runs through the Foro Sol baseball stadium, and the crowd there is loud and festive from the first session. Fans in green fill the grandstands on Sunday. If you want a quieter weekend, we recommend you avoid the Foro Sol zones.
What is the weather like, and what should you pack?
Late October days are warm, often above 25°C, with strong sun at this altitude. Mornings and evenings are cool, and afternoon showers are still possible. We recommend a cap, sunscreen, comfortable shoes, a light jacket and a poncho. You can carry sunscreen in containers up to 100 ml.
Please pack the poncho instead of an umbrella. Only small, round-tipped umbrellas are accepted, and umbrellas also block the view of the fans behind you.
What is the bag policy at the Mexico City Grand Prix?
Bags and backpacks can be no larger than 10 × 15 × 30 cm. Handbags and waist packs can be no larger than 11 × 16 cm. Clear plastic is preferred, and a resealable plastic bag is allowed for small items. We recommend you pack only what you need for the day.
What can you bring?
- Baby food and small strollers
- Sunscreen and hand sanitiser, up to 100 ml each
- Prescription medicine
- Binoculars without lasers
- Cameras with a lens up to 300 mm (professional cameras can have two lenses)
- External phone batteries
- Earplugs, hats, caps, sunglasses, ponchos and rain boots
- Flags up to one metre long
We recommend you bring flags without poles, since pole rules are applied at the gate.
What is not allowed?
- Food and drink from outside, including glass bottles, cans and coolers
- Chairs, seat cushions, back rests and blankets
- Backpacks larger than 10 × 15 × 30 cm, camping backpacks and tents
- Aerosols, lighters, cigarettes and vapes
- Weapons, sharp objects, fireworks and flares
- Laser pointers and chemical lights
- Drones
- Selfie sticks, GoPro poles, tripods and monopods
- Professional video and audio recording equipment
- Bicycles, scooters, skateboards and longboards
- Musical instruments, balls, frisbees and plush toys
- Pets, except service dogs
- Illegal substances
What happens at the security check?
The check is similar to an airport. You empty your pockets and bags, staff look through your items, and you may get a quick body check. You may also be asked to remove your shoes. The organiser can refuse entry to anyone, and refused items are confiscated. We recommend you arrive with a light bag so the line moves faster.
How do you pay at the Mexico City Grand Prix?
Food and drink are paid for with a prepaid cashless token. You load it with cash, a debit card or a credit card at self-service kiosks in the green and blue zones. Unused balance can be refunded online after the race. We recommend you load a little more than you expect to spend and carry a card as a backup.
What food and drink is there?
There are more than 50 food options, from tacos and street food to burgers and plant-based dishes. Drinks are served in reusable cups, and there are free water points around the circuit. Beer and alcohol are sold only during set hours in the day. Prices are higher than in the city, so we recommend you eat a full breakfast before you arrive.
What facilities does the circuit have?
There are toilets across the circuit, and baby-changing facilities are in the toilets. Medical points are staffed by trained teams, and emergencies go to the security staff, with the command centre in the green zone. Lost and found desks are at every access point, and lost items are returned after you register them.
We have found no published left-luggage service. Please leave anything oversized at your hotel, since a bag that fails the check cannot go in.
Is the Mexico City Grand Prix wheelchair accessible?
There are designated accessible areas in the green zone along the start-finish straight and in the blue zone at the exit of Turn 3. These areas have accessible seating with clear views and trained staff. The green zone accessible area is reached through Gate 7. We recommend you contact the ticket seller before you buy, since accessible seating is limited and sells out early. For terrain and step-free routes, see our circuit map.
What is the weekend schedule like?
It is a standard Formula 1 weekend, with practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday afternoon. Support races run in the mornings. For every session time, see our Mexico City Grand Prix schedule.
What is the fan zone and off-track programme?
The F1 Fan Zone sits in Zona Azul. It has food stalls, games, merchandise and brand activities. Zona Azul, Zona Amarilla and Zona Rosa tickets give you access. Verde, Naranja, Gris and Café tickets do not. Foro Sol also has its own party atmosphere, with music and DJs throughout the weekend.
What are the best tips for visiting?
1. Check your zone and gate the night before
Open your ticket and note the zone and gate. Write the gate number on a note on your phone. This saves you a long walk around the circuit.
2. Pack one small bag
A bag of 10 × 15 × 30 cm holds sunscreen, a poncho, a card and your phone charger. Everything else can stay at your hotel.
3. Plan for sun and cold
The day is warm and bright, but mornings and evenings are cool. A cap, sunscreen and a light jacket cover both.
4. Pace yourself at altitude
Drink water often and avoid heavy drinking on the first day. Stairs between grandstand levels will feel harder than at sea level.
5. Set a meeting point outside the gates
You cannot re-enter, and zones do not connect inside. Agree a place to meet before you go in.
6. Download your ticket and the official app before you leave
Signal is weaker in a crowd. Load your ticket, the map and the schedule while you are on your hotel Wi-Fi.
What is it like leaving the circuit?
Most of the crowd leaves in the same short window after the race. The gates and the nearby streets are packed for the first hour, and each zone leaves through its own gates. We recommend you stay for the podium and the post-race atmosphere, then walk out calmly. For the wider journey home, see our travel guide.
Frequently asked questions Mexico F1 Grand Prix
1. Can I bring a camera with a zoom lens?
Yes, if the lens is no longer than 300 mm. Professional cameras can carry two lenses. Tripods, monopods, selfie sticks and professional video equipment are not allowed.
2. Can I bring a power bank to Mexico City GP?
Yes. External phone batteries are allowed. Other batteries are not.
3. Can I smoke or vape at the circuit?
You cannot bring cigarettes, lighters or vapes into the circuit. We recommend you leave them at your hotel.
4. Can I bring a flag?
Yes, up to one metre long. We recommend a flag without a pole, since poles and sticks are checked at the gate.
5. Can I use a screenshot of my ticket?
No. General tickets must be opened in the Singapore GP app, and screenshots, videos, and printed copies are not accepted at the gates.
6. Are service dogs allowed?
Yes. Pets are not allowed, but service dogs are.
7. Can I bring a pushchair or stroller?
Small strollers, such as umbrella-style ones, are allowed. Children aged four and over need their own ticket. Children aged three and under can accompany a ticketed adult but have no reserved seat.
8. Can I buy a ticket outside the circuit?
We strongly advise against it. Tickets from street sellers and social media groups can be fake or duplicated, and a screenshot will not scan.
9. Will the altitude make me ill?
Most visitors feel slightly tired or short of breath on the first day. Drink water, eat normally and rest. If you feel dizzy or have a bad headache, go to a medical point.l Guide.
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