This is my spectacting guide and review for Grandstand 5 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez Grand Prix circuit for the Formula 1 in Mexico.
Contents
Grandstand 5 Mexico GP location
Grandstand 5, also known as Grada 5 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit is on the outside corner, Turn 1. It overlooks the whole turn 1 – 2 – 3 chicane which is officially named Curva Moises Solana. This grandstand faces directly back up the main start finish straight, so the cars will be heading directly towards you as they approach Turn 1.
This grandstand is set back from the track a little way to make room for the large run-off area on the outside of Turn 1. Directly to the right and at 90° to this stand is grandstand 4, and to its left is Grandstand 6.
The nearest entrance to this grandstand is entrance gate 9 which is less than a 5 minute walk away. And right next to gate 9 is the Puebla Metro station which is directly outside the gate. It’s super convenient if you plan on using public transport to travel to the Grand Prix.
Zone
The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez circuit during the Mexican GP weekend is divided in to different spectator zones. This grandstand is in the Blue Zone (Zona Azul). Tickets for this grandstand mean you can only access the Blue Zone. You can’t access any of the other zones around the track.
Check out my full guide to the Mexican GP zones for more info on the blue zone. But to simmarise, it’s the best zone and the only one with the full F1 Fan Zone, so it’s a great option.
Grandstand details
Cover
This grandstand doesn’t have a cover over the top. It’s completely open, so you’ll be sat in the hot Mexican sunshine all day long. And as Mexico City is 2,200km above sea level you get burnt easily so make sure you bring head protection, sunglasses and wear something suitable to keep you cool.
Seats
The seats are little plastic pads on top of bench style bleacher seats.
TV screens
There is one big TV screen visible from this grandstand. It’s the other side of the track on the other side of Turn 2. It’s a massive screen but it can still feel a little far away because this grandstand is the other side of the large run-off area, especially if you’re sat in the higher rows that are further back.
Mexico GP Grandstand 5 tickets
The Blue Zone which this grandstand is in is always very popular so tickets will sell out fast. But there’s another option – you can still buy tickets through ViaGoGo right up until race day.
Plus you can often find cheaper tickets there, and they offer lots of single-day tickets as well which are sometimes better options.
I’ve bought Formula 1 tickets through Viagogo a number of times over the last few seasons. That includesg my most recent trips to the British GP and Canadian GP. And each time I bought through them I managed to get tickets cheaper than official price.
They also have a good FanProtect Guarantee which will keep your money and your tickets safe – always good for extra peace of mind. I will happily be using them again next time I buy F1 tickets.
Mexico Grandstand 5 seating plan
The image below shows the seating chart for Grandstand 5 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez during the Mexican Grand Prix:
As the seating plan shows this grandstand is made up sections numbered 101 – 105. Section 101 is closest to Turn 1 and Section 105 is closest to Turn 2.
Each section has rows numbered Row 1 at the front lowest down and Row 40 highest up at the back.
Seat numbers start at 1 on the left hand side of each section and increase as you move to the right (if you are standing on the track and looking up at the stand).
View
The image below shows the parts of the Mexico GP track visible from this stand highlighted in green:
As the map shows from Grandstand 5 you get a fantastic view overlooking the whole turn 1 – 2 – 3 chicane. You can see a little bit of the straight that leads to Turn 1, especially if you’re in the lower section numbers, but you can never see all the way down to the start line. Partly because it’s a long way in the distance but also because the advertising board over the track at the end of the main straight will block your view. But you will be able to see the braking zone for Turn 1. You can also see the cars for a short while once they exit Turn 3.
To give you more of an idea of the view, the videos below were filmed from different locations within this grandstand.
This video was filmed from Section 101 row 30, capturing the moment Sergio Perez sadly crashed out on the first corner of the first lap in 2023.
This is the furthest section to the right, so it has the best view of the cars coming along the main straight an approaching Turn 1. But as you can see in the video, whilst you have a fantastic view of them in the braking zone you can’t see the start of the race because of the Pirelli advertising board over the track:
This next video was filmed from Section 103 Row 20. Slightly further to the left, so you don’t have as much visibility along the start / finish straight, but still enough to see the cars in the braking zone.:
The next video was filmed from Section 103 Row 38. The same section as the previous video but higher up, two rows from the back. It’s an old video so the big TV screen has changed location slightly but it still gives an idea of the view from this higher row:
And finally this video was filmed from Section 102 Row 8. The video isn’t great for seeing the track but gives you an idea of what the view will be like from lower down:
Best seats
Personally I want to see as much of the main straight as possible, because that’s where the overtaking moves are going to start. So for that I’d want to be as far to the right as I could get.
So my preferred seats in this grandstand are those in Section 101 Rows 20 and up. I like the higher rows as they give you a wider overall vantage point.
Is this a good place to sit?
This is a great place to sit. You get a fantastic view over the chicane where most of the overtaking and action happens especially at the start of the race. Plus you’re in the Blue Zone where there’s loads of other stuff to keep you occupied, and it’s very easy to access with public transport.
