The race is meant to celebrate the Champ Car events that took place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track between 2002 and 2007.
The drivers will use equally tuned 500hp V8-powered cars that usually compete in the Gran Turismo Mexico series.
The entry is led by five Mexican drivers who raced in the Champ Car era, namely Adrian Fernandez, Mario Dominguez, Michel Jourdain Jr, Roberto Gonzalez and Luis Diaz. The last-named only made two series starts, but both were in his home race.
Local stars will be joined by Paul Tracy, Mark Blundell, Alex Tagliani, Oriol Servia, Max Papis, Bruno Junqueira and Casey Mears.
Papis, Blundell and Mears did not actually compete in the Mexico City Champ Car race; Papis did not run a full season in 2002 and 2003, while Blundell and Mears left the series before the inaugural event.
The Mexico City race was a popular stop on the Champ Car calendar before being scrapped in 2008 after the merger with IndyCar.
The only former Legends Cup winner is Tracy, who triumphed in 2003, although Junqueira had been on pole the previous year.
Mexico champion car, 2007.
Photo by: LAT Photographic
Other Mexico City winners were Sebastian Bourdais (2004, 2006 and 2007), Kenny Brack (2002) and Justin Wilson (2005).
“Before we hosted F1 in Mexico, we used to promote the Champ Car World Series at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, and that was as important as F1 is today,” said the GP’s chief executive. of Mexico, Federico Gonzalez.
“To be able to bring all these legends together for a unique event here in Mexico is a huge privilege for us and for the Mexican fans. We are sure that the Freightliner Legends Cup will be a successful event at this year’s race.
“It will be a very special event to bring together great drivers who have given us unforgettable moments in the past.”
The last time a similar event took place on the track was in 1989, when Michel Jourdain Sr promoted a race called the Nations Challenge, a unique precursor to the A1 GP featuring Chrysler production cars and pilots representing their countries.
It featured a mix of visiting drivers including Derek Bell, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Gianni Morbidelli, Frank Biela, Jim Richards, John Andretti and Wilson and Christian Fittipaldi.
The race is meant to celebrate the Champ Car events that took place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez track between 2002 and 2007.
The drivers will use equally tuned 500hp V8-powered cars that usually compete in the Gran Turismo Mexico series.
The entry is led by five Mexican drivers who raced in the Champ Car era, namely Adrian Fernandez, Mario Dominguez, Michel Jourdain Jr, Roberto Gonzalez and Luis Diaz. The last-named only made two series starts, but both were in his home race.
Local stars will be joined by Paul Tracy, Mark Blundell, Alex Tagliani, Oriol Servia, Max Papis, Bruno Junqueira and Casey Mears.
Papis, Blundell and Mears did not actually compete in the Mexico City Champ Car race; Papis did not run a full season in 2002 and 2003, while Blundell and Mears left the series before the inaugural event.
The Mexico City race was a popular stop on the Champ Car calendar before being scrapped in 2008 after the merger with IndyCar.
The only former Legends Cup winner is Tracy, who triumphed in 2003, although Junqueira had been on pole the previous year.
Mexico champion car, 2007.
Photo by: LAT Photographic
Other Mexico City winners were Sebastian Bourdais (2004, 2006 and 2007), Kenny Brack (2002) and Justin Wilson (2005).
“Before we hosted F1 in Mexico, we used to promote the Champ Car World Series at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, and that was as important as F1 is today,” said the GP’s chief executive. of Mexico, Federico Gonzalez.
“To be able to bring all these legends together for a unique event here in Mexico is a huge privilege for us and for the Mexican fans. We are sure that the Freightliner Legends Cup will be a successful event at this year’s race.
“It will be a very special event to bring together great drivers who have given us unforgettable moments in the past.”
The last time a similar event took place on the track was in 1989, when Michel Jourdain Sr promoted a race called the Nations Challenge, a unique precursor to the A1 GP featuring Chrysler production cars and pilots representing their countries.
It featured a mix of visiting drivers including Derek Bell, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Gianni Morbidelli, Frank Biela, Jim Richards, John Andretti and Wilson and Christian Fittipaldi.