If you think that Formula E is lagging behind purpose-built motor racing circuits, you’re wrong.

Though talk of the inaugural Mexico City ePrix will predominantly revolve around winner Lucas Di Grassi’s post-race disqualification for the time being, hopefully people’s attentions will soon be moved to other things, namely that Formula E works quite well on a purpose-built motor racing circuit.

The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez hosted Formula E this weekend, the circuit being the first of its kind to do so.

Before Mexico, Formula E had only ever raced on street-circuits, i.e. tracks that are constructed on public roads for the sole-purpose of hosting an ePrix, and then promptly deconstructed once the chequered flag has been waved.

The overwhelming use of street circuits hasn’t gone unnoticed, with the commonly held belief of some being that organizers have chosen these locations in order to create an illusion of speed. The argument goes that by racing on these tight/narrow tracks, the ‘slow’ Formula E cars will look like they’re going a lot faster than they actually are.

It’s true that the Spark-Renault isn’t the fastest race car in the world but it still tops out at an impressive 225km/h (140mph). Even so, if put on a track such as Silverstone or COTA, many believe that a Formula E car would appear to be at a crawl when compared to other racers such as those found in Formula One or the LMP classes of the WEC.

Well, the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez is one of the fastest circuits in the world, with Formula One cars being able to hit speeds well into the 360km/h (225 mph) range. As such, if a demonstration of Formula E’s lack of pace was going to be held, the famous Mexican circuit would be the perfect place to hold it.

As it turns out, though racing on a shortened version of the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez track, the Formula E cars looked perfectly at home, and extremely fast.

Formula One visited the same venue only four months ago, and personally, the monumental speeds those cars were hitting was my main point of reference going into the Mexico City ePrix. Though I’m sure others would disagree (possibly due to the two series racing on different track layouts), in my opinion, the Spark-Renault didn’t look excessively slower than a Formula One car.

Though it would appear to be a trivial thing to argue over, the speed (or lack thereof) of the electric racers has come under some harsh criticism since last year’s first Formula E championship. So much so that it’s possible potential fans have turned away because of it.

Whether or not the street circuits have been chosen strategically in order to artificially enhance the pace of the Spark-Renault as some would have you believe, what Mexico has shown us at the very least is that Formula E cars, when pushed, don’t need cheap tricks to look fast.