MAY 19, 2015

Mexico confirms 2015 grand prix sold out

An official of November's Mexican grand prix has confirmed reports the 2015 race is already sold out.

An official of November's Mexican grand prix has confirmed reports the 2015 race is already sold out.

We reported last week that while other races, like the Red Bull-promoted Austrian grand prix, are struggling to sell tickets, Mexico sold out "within hours".

After a 23-year absence from the calendar, F1 is returning this year to the newly-refurbished circuit in Mexico City.

"We have all the tools in place to have a successful event," the race's marketing director, Rodrigo Sanchez, told Sportsbusiness Journal.

"(Mexico has) had a couple drivers in the series for a few years now, which has helped to bring a lot of momentum, and the people are excited about the sport," he added.

Sanchez said work on the circuit, headed by Hermann Tilke and costing some $200 million, will "continue through the summer" ahead of the November 1 race weekend.

He said tickets "went on sale in March and sold out in five minutes".

Tim Bampton, of the motor sport sponsorship agency JMI, confirmed that "interest among those global companies in F1 coming to Mexico is high".

"We are going to be very busy in Mexico," he added. "We've got programmes for most, if not all, of our formula one clients."

(GMM)