30/10/2015
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's opening session at Mexico City - as F1 returns following a 23 year hiatus, the air temperature is 18 degrees C, whilst the track temperature is 21 degrees.
Whilst the weather has been perfect up to now, a shower has left parts of the track damp. We are, of course, expecting heavy rain tomorrow.
Tyre options are the same as Austin - and no, we don't mean full wets and Inters - rather medium and soft. Indeed, the session is declared wet.
There are two DRS zones - though one detection point - the first activation point is on the pit straight and the second on the run between Turns 3 and 4.
"Dampest part of the track seems to be the pit lane," says Pirelli, "which is why mechanics are busy with hair dryers on the asphalt."
The lights go green and it is Pastor Maldonado who is first out, followed by Ericsson, Vettel, Verstappen, Nasr, Rossi and Raikkonen, All are on Inters.
Other than the damp, the brand new track asphalt will already be slippery.
Alonso is another early riser, the McLaren fitted with an aero rake. Indeed, a number of cars are running aero devices and the ubiquitous flo-vis.
A number of drivers appear to be caught out at T8, among them Alonso and Massa.
The sizeable crowd cheers as local hero Perez heads out.
"It's so slippery everywhere," complains Verstappen, the Dutch youngster confirming that it is not yet time for slicks, a view shared by Alonso, who says the "conditions are like ice, very strange".
Slow-mo shows ripples running through the car as Ricciardo rides the kerbs.
Raikkonen posts the first time of the day (37.169) but this is soon beaten by Verstappen (35.283) despite running wide in T11.
Having gone second (of three), Vettel lists the grip conditions of each corner, from memory, after just a couple of laps of running.
As Sainz goes quickest (33.095), Vettel says that it is too dry for Inters now. Kvyat goes second, ahead of Verstappen, Vettel, Bottas and Nasr.
As DRS is enabled, Rosberg goes second with a 33.174.
Twenty minutes in, the Williams duo is first to switch to slicks (medium), along with Vettel.
Bottas goes quickest in S1, but it is Verstappen (Inters) who is quickest in S2. At the line Bottas posts 32.489 to go quickest, 0.606s quicker than Sainz. Next time around the Finn improves to 31.868.
"I don't know why but I have nothing at the rear," complains Raikkonen, before adding "rear grip". Meanwhile, teammate Vettel, on the primes, goes second with a 32.151.
Rosberg runs wide in T6 and Hamilton at T4, though the Briton goes on to post 31.160 and take second.
The opening half hour comes to an end - when the 'free' set of tyres is handed back - and currently Bottas leads the way, ahead of Hamilton, Perez, Nasr, Vettel, Massa, Raikkonen, Sainz, Rosberg and Verstappen.
After a brief break, Kvyat heads out again, the Russian on a new set of the prime rubber.
Mechanics swarm over Raikkonen's car, the Finn appearing to have a brake issue.
Kvyat improves to third with a 31.643, whilst teammate Ricciardo can only manage 33.824. Shortly after however, the Australian improves to fourth with a 31.862 before going quickest with a 30.577.
On-board footage of Ricciardo shows the car to be a real handful.
From out of nowhere Maldonado posts 30.272 to go second however,. Moments later he is leapfrogged by Alonso (30.125).
Despite a scrappy lap, Hamilton improves to fourth with a 30.126. Moments later however, Palmer posts 29.163 to take the top spot for the first time this year.
Slowly the track is coming to the drivers, as proven when Rosberg bangs in a 28.399.
Having improved to second (28.744), Verstappen looks set to improve again but fails indeed, he slips to third when Perez posts 28.573.
New circuit but same old scene as Hamilton goes second to Mercedes teammate Rosberg.
A mistake sees Nasr sin in the final corner. "Felipe, you didn't hit anything did you?" comes the call. "No, I didn't hit anything," is the weary response.
Smoke and flames pour from the rear of Rosberg's car, his brakes on fire. Moments earlier the German had spun at T12.
As Verstappen spins at T1, Hamilton is told that her needs to cool his brakes.
Kvyat raises the bar with a 27.181 as Bottas goes third (27.303), ahead of Verstappen, Perez and Massa.
Button's session is over as McLaren confirms it is about to change his engine. Meanwhile, Hamilton is appraised of Rosberg's brake issue, the German side-lined for the remainder of the session.
The Renault powered Red Bulls are first and second as Ricciardo posts 27.185 to go second behind teammate Kvyat.
With 20 minutes remaining, and no change in the conditions, Alonso is back on the Inters.
It is subsequently revealed by McLaren's press officer that the Spaniard has a "very bad cut" on one of his dry tyres but as the team wanted to continue running the engine it was decided to send him out on the Inters.
Sainz reveals that he feels "something strange" under braking for T12.
A spin for Bottas as he applies the power in T3 shows just how slippery this track is. Teammate Massa complains of a "lot of graining at the front".
A 26.877 sees Raikkonen go second, teammate Vettel currently down in eleventh.
"It should get even quicker this afternoon on the soft tyre," claims Pirelli, "we're definitely going to see the top speed of the year set this weekend."
Despite Mercedes claim that we wouldn't be seeing Rosberg again this session, the German heads down the pitlane.
A 25.990 sees Verstappen go quickest but having run wide in T9 there are doubts as to the legality of the lap. Elsewhere Perez has spun at T12. Shortly after he goes off again, "that's the third time," he moans.
A late improvement sees Vettel go fourth, both Ferraris in the top four. A late improvement for Rosberg also, though the German can only manage sixth.
The session ends with Verstappen quickest, ahead of Kvyat, Raikkonen, Vettel, Ricciardo, Rosberg, Bottas, Sainz, Perez and Massa.
Hamilton is eleventh, ahead of Ericsson, Maldonado, Nasr, Palmer, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Rossi, Button and Stevens.
Check out our Friday gallery, here.