- This year’s FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE MÉXICOTM promises a cultural extravaganza guaranteed to enthrall audiences for the opening ceremony at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on race day.
“The opening ceremony is a symbolic moment for us, it is an opportunity for us to define our significance in front of a global audience” said Managing Director of FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE MÉXICO™, Federico González Compeán. “It promises to be a fantastic celebration of our cultural wealth and heritage, while embodying Mexican spirit and representing the best of who we are as a nation.”
Opening Ceremony
The theatrical grid presentation will celebrate Mexican handicrafts and promises to be an experience like no other. The FORMULA 1 GRAN PREMIO DE MÉXICO™ Tree of Life will be at the heart of the F1®ESTA and the Mexican mythical creatures called Alebrijes will play a leading role. These vibrant, often monstrous hybrid beasts are composed of the parts of more than one animal.
Immediately following the Drivers’ Parade, these “monsters” will celebrate the arrival of the Tree of Life from the official race poster. This celebration will be performed by more than 250 volunteers, skaters and dancers, with giant dancing puppets called Mojigangas joining the show. These figures made of cardboard, paper and cloth were traditionally used to evoke joy during important religious ceremonies and these days feature in many Mexican weddings.
The Drivers’ Parade with cars from the Mexican Vintage Car Association
The Drivers’ Parade will be led by five cars from the classic Mexican road race “La Carrera Panamericana”. These five cars will be on display at the support paddock throughout the weekend, whilst this icon of international motorsport features as a support event to the Grand Prix. The vintage cars in the procession are part of the Mexican Vintage Car Association and have been approved by the local ASN.
Adiós Alonso
The race fans all over the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez grandstands have been invited to say goodbye to one of the sport’s greatest by wearing masks of Fernando Alonso’s face while cheering him on with a standing ovation during the Drivers’ Parade.
National Anthem sung by The Mazahua Girls’ Choir
The Mazahua Girls’ Choir of the Lázaro Cárdenas Primary School will sing the National Anthem of Mexico. The choir consists of ten girls, aged between ten and eleven years old, from the town of Ejido La Virgen, in the State of Mexico, near Mexico City. The race serves as an international platform to demonstrate the legacy of greatness, traditions and pride of indigenous peoples and customs in Mexico; over the years, choirs of indigenous children from around Mexico have had the honour of singing the anthem before the race.
Air display
The excitement will build up to a grid fly-past of nine planes from the Mexican National Ministry, accompanied by a helicopter from the Mexican Navy just moments before the lights go out to start the race at the legendary Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.
The main goal of this project is to show the world a variety of Mexican traditions and culture that they may not be familiar with. The idea for the opening ceremony was conceived eight months ago by the Local Organizing Committee and developed from the central theme of this year’s official poster.
Notes for Editors
- The opening ceremony will take place immediately after the Drivers’ Parade on Sunday 28th
- Number of volunteers: 210
- Number of dancers: 30
- Number of skaters: 20
- Number of props: Bus: 1 // Inflatable tree of life: 1
- Number of monumental Alebrijes: 16
- Number of costumes: 50
- Number of Mojigandas puppets: 6
- Number of rehearsals: 12 (they commenced in mid-September)
