The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is two tracks in one. A main straight of about 1.2 km, where you want no wing at all. Then the esses and a stadium section so slow that you want all of it.
So this F1 2020 Mexico setup splits the car in two. Minimum wing at the front, a lot at the rear, and a very stiff rear end to make it turn. It is a time trial setup, saved with 10 kg of fuel.
F1 2020 Mexico setup
| Setting | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
| Wing | 1 | 9 |
| Camber | -2.50 | -2.00 |
| Toe | 0.05 | 0.20 |
| Suspension | 1 | 11 |
| Anti-roll bar | 1 | 7 |
| Ride height | 1 | 3 |
| Tyre pressure | 21.0 psi | 19.5 psi |
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Fuel load | 10 kg |
| Differential on throttle | 50% |
| Differential off throttle | 51% |
| Brake pressure | 100% |
| Front brake bias | 50% |
In F1 2020 the wings, suspension, anti-roll bars and ride height all use a scale from 1 to 11. The differential goes from 50%, fully open, to 100%, locked.
This setup was collected for the site in 2022 from a fast time trial lap, like the rest of my F1 2020 setups. Use it as a base and adjust it with the table further down.
The lap on board
Why this setup works in Mexico City
The wings. 1 and 9. Four of my 22 setups run the front wing at the minimum: Baku, Belgium, Italy and Mexico. The other three pair it with a rear of 6 or 7. Mexico pairs it with 9. The rear wing is there for traction and stability in the stadium and the esses. The front is left at 1 because the rest of the car does the turning.
The differential. 50% on throttle, 51% off. That is as good as fully open. The slow corners here are long and tight, and an open differential lets the inside rear wheel turn at its own speed, so the car rotates instead of pushing.
The camber and toe. -2.50 and -2.00, with 0.05 and 0.20 of toe. These are the values that most of my setups share. Nothing special is needed here.
The tyre pressures. 21.0 psi front and 19.5 psi rear, the lowest the menu allows.
The rear springs at 11
With a front wing of 1, the car should understeer. The suspension is how this setup gets the front to bite.
Springs are 1 at the front and 11 at the rear. That is the widest split the menu allows. Nine of my 22 setups run the rear springs at 11, so it is a common choice in this game, but here it matters more than usual. A soft front and a stiff rear move the grip forward. The anti-roll bars do the same job, at 1 and 7.
Ride height is 1 at the front and 3 at the rear. The front is as low as it goes. A low car is a fast car on a long straight, and the kerbs here are not the kind you need to attack.
The price is traction. A rear this stiff does not forgive a hard throttle out of turn 3 or the hairpin. If the rear steps out on the exits, soften the rear springs before you touch the wing.
The brakes
Brake pressure 100%, front bias 50%. Every setup in my F1 2020 database runs 100% pressure.
Turn 1 is the stop that matters. You arrive at the end of the longest straight of the lap with almost no front wing on the car. Brake in a straight line and be patient with the turn in. If the fronts lock there, go to 95%.
What to change
One change at a time, three laps, then decide.
| Problem | Change | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Understeer in the esses | Front wing 1 to 3 | More front downforce in the quick changes of direction |
| Slow on the main straight | Rear wing 9 to 7 | Less drag, with less traction in the stadium |
| The rear steps out on the exits | Rear suspension 11 to 9 | Softer rear springs give the rear tyres more grip |
| The rear snaps in the esses | Rear anti-roll bar 7 to 5 | A softer rear bar calms the changes of direction |
| The car bottoms or bounces on the kerbs | Front ride height 1 to 2 | More room under the floor |
| The rear moves under braking for turn 1 | Off throttle differential 51% to 56% | More lock steadies the rear on entry |
| Front tyres lock into turn 1 | Brake pressure 100% to 95% | Less peak pressure, easier to hold at the limit |
For a race
Before a 25% or 50% race I would change this:
- Front wing 1 to 2. A front that slides for a whole stint wears its tyres out.
- Rear suspension 11 to 9. Better traction and an easier life for the rear tyres.
- Front ride height 1 to 2. A full tank pushes the car down. Give it a little room.
- Brake pressure 100% to 95%. A heavy car locks more easily into turn 1.
- Fuel. The 10 kg is a time trial number. In a race the game sets the load for the distance.
On a pad, I would go to 9 on the rear springs, 5 on the rear bar and around 90% brake pressure. The stiff rear is the hard part of this setup without a wheel.
F1 2020 manages the ERS for you and gives you an overtake button. Use it on the main straight. Turn 1 is the passing place of the lap.
Where the lap time is in Mexico City
- Turns 1 to 3. A huge stop, then right, left, right. Treat it as one sequence. Give up a little in turn 1, because the exit of turn 3 leads onto a straight.
- Turns 4 and 5. Slow. Brake early enough to get the car turned, and do not rush the throttle with this rear.
- Turn 6. A slow right hairpin. Late apex, then build the throttle.
- The esses. All rhythm. One clean line through, with small lifts instead of brakes where you can. A mistake in the first one costs you in all of them.
- The stadium. The slowest part of the lap, through an old baseball stadium. Be patient. There is no time to find here, only time to lose.
- The last corner. The second half of the old Peraltada. The exit matters more than anything else on the lap, because the straight after it is about 1.2 km long.
If you take one thing from this page: the last corner is worth more than the stadium. Go in slower, get on the throttle early and take the speed all the way to turn 1.
Mexico City in 2020
The 2020 cars never raced at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. The Mexico City Grand Prix was formally cancelled in July 2020, together with Brazil, Canada and the United States. Only 17 of the 22 planned races were run that year, so the game is the only place where you can drive these cars here.
The last race before that was on 27 October 2019. Max Verstappen was fastest in qualifying but took a three place grid penalty, so Charles Leclerc started from pole with a 1:15.024. Lewis Hamilton won, ahead of Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas.
The lap is 4.304 km with 17 corners, and the real race is 71 laps.
More F1 2020 setups
All 22 tracks are on the F1 2020 setups page. The track before Mexico City in the game's calendar is Austin, with my F1 2020 USA setup, and the next one is Interlagos, with my F1 2020 Brazil setup.
For the same track in other games, here are my F1 2019 Mexico setup, my F1 2018 Mexico setup, my F1 2021 Mexico setup and my F1 25 Mexico setup. The values do not carry over from one game to the next.
FAQ
What is the best F1 2020 setup for Mexico?
Front wing 1, rear wing 9, differential 50% on throttle and 51% off, suspension 1 and 11, anti-roll bars 1 and 7, ride height 1 and 3, brake pressure 100% with 50% front bias, and tyres at 21.0 and 19.5 psi.
What wing levels should I run in Mexico in F1 2020?
1 at the front and 9 at the rear for time trial. For a race I would run 2 and 9.
Why are the rear springs at 11?
To make the car turn. With the front wing at 1, a stiff rear and a soft front move the grip to the front tyres. If it costs you too much traction, go to 9.
Can I use this Mexico setup in a race?
Yes. I would go to front wing 2, rear springs 9, front ride height 2 and brake pressure 95%.
Does this setup work with a controller?
Yes, with a softer rear. I would run rear springs 9, rear bar 5 and around 90% brake pressure.
Was there a Mexico City Grand Prix in 2020?
No. It was cancelled in July 2020. The last race before that was in 2019, and Lewis Hamilton won it.
How long is the Mexico City circuit in F1 2020?
4.304 km with 17 corners. The real race is 71 laps.