Mexico City GP organisers start campaign after Verstappen and Hamilton treatment

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Mexico City Grand Prix organisers have now launched a campaign to educate all fans but chiefly those of Sergio Perez against jeering Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton.

Promoters of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez race fear a repeat of the scenes from last year’s event. Formula 1 returns to Mexico later this month for the 19th round of the season. Verstappen is likely to arrive having beaten Red Bull teammate Perez to win the drivers’ title.

Those who purport to be fans of Perez let their feelings toward Verstappen and Hamilton be known at last year’s Mexico City GP. Supporters of the home hero regularly jeered the Dutch and British racers over the weekend. So, organisers have moved to avoid a repeat this year.

Mexico City GP chiefs launch a campaign aimed especially at Perez’s fans

Mexico City GP chiefs know that the treatment that Verstappen and Hamilton received gives the event a bad reputation. It is otherwise held in high regard among Formula 1’s leadership and the FIA. So, they hope to educate those attending this year’s event to avoid any repeats.

The campaign is aimed at all fans attending the 2023 Mexico City GP, but especially those of home hero Perez. Organisers have also engaged the services of Formula 2 pilot Juan Manuel Correa to promote their campaign. The American-Ecuadorian is an ambassador of the event.

“F1 is passion, competition and rivalry,” Correa said, via quotes by Marca. “Sometimes, with confrontation on the track, it is easy to express passion in the wrong way.

“That is why we launched the ‘Racepect’ movement, with the aim of fostering respect among those of us who make up this great community.

“Sometimes, with the confrontation on the track, it is easy to lose your mind. The heat of the competition rises to the stands, where it is easy to express passion in the wrong way.

“This is not Formula 1. In Formula 1, we celebrate the success of everyone and we maintain a healthy rivalry between the drivers and teams. This is how ‘Racepect’ was born, generating a movement in which we invite everyone to leave the rivalry on the track.”

Verstappen and Hamilton beat home hero Perez at the 2022 Grand Prix

Verstappen beat Hamilton and Perez to win the 2022 Mexico City GP after winning a second drivers’ title in Japan. The 26-year-old won the race by 15.1 seconds to the Mercedes driver. His Red Bull teammate also took the chequered flag a further 2.9 seconds behind Hamilton.

Perez possibly could have beaten Hamilton for P2 but for a slow pit stop that kept him in the Red Bull box for five seconds. The seven-time Formula 1 champion managed his margin over the Mexican for the remainder of the race. But Verstappen cruised to his 14th win of 2022.