Work continues on Mexico City
Franco Soldati and Rubén Saldívar
Picture: Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
The president of the Mexican Federation of Motor Sports (FMAD), Franco Soldati, paid a visit to the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in México City, in order to witness first-hand the progress on track redevelopment.
The famous circuit is being modernised for CART’s Gran Premio Telmex-Gigante, which will take place November 17, as the final race of the 2002 FedEx Championship Series.
Soldati was escorted around the track by Rubén Saldívar, general director of GRAND –joint venture of CIE and Forsythe Racing which organizes the Grand Prix- and Klaus Porias from On Track Operations.
During the visit, Soldati was very pleased about the work already finished – currently the second phase of repaving is taking place from the Presidential turn to the First ‘S’. He also took a look at the dismantling of the so-called ‘Popedrome’ (where John Paul II gave Mass a few years ago to over 1 million faithful) and mentioned it was time to see it taken down because “it has obstructed the track for a few years and impedes using the historic Grand Prix circuit layout”.
Soldati also made some comments about increasing the usage of the track by modifying the Curva Plana in the 1 mile oval.
“This will allow us to increase the possibilities of using the track all year long without restrictions imposed by other sports’ seasonality,” he said, commending the idea.
The FMAD president was also shown the area in the main straight where permanent grandstands and supporting facilities are being built with over 25,000 seats, which he said guaranteed a festive atmosphere for any motor sports event taking place at the track.
Gardening and landscaping work is also ahead of schedule and grass has been planted everywhere around the gravel trap of the Moisés Solana turn and also at the other main gravel trap at the entrance of the Presidential Turn in the “stadium zone” – where a lake used to be when the track was inaugurated more than 40 years ago.
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