29/10/2022
NEWS STORY
Ahead of today's sole practice session the air temperature is 19.7 degrees C, while the track temperature is 36.4 degrees. It is bright and sunny, though Race Control claims there is a 40% chance of rain.
As was the case last week in Austin, due to the fact that FP2 was given over to tyre testing we are expecting this session particularly busy.
Apart from the loss of time due to the tyre test, a number of drivers encountered issues and as a result have even more running time to make up. Not least Charles Leclerc who crashed out yesterday.
The lights go green and first out is Bottas, followed by Zhou, Stroll and Vettel.
A new ICE means Magnussen has a 5-place grid penalty, while Ferrari claims that no components were damaged in Leclerc's crash. A potential new engine for Sainz has been delayed, possibly to Brazil.
"We have an issue," Zhou is told, the Chinese driver instructed to return to the pits.
Bottas (medium) posts the first time of the day, a 21.462 as Hamilton heads out on softs.
Hamilton posts a very exploratory 33.965 as the Ferrari duo head out along with Ricciardo. Both the Scuderia drivers are on softs.
No sooner has Hamilton posted a 20.505 than Leclerc responds with a 20.487.
Perez heads out... much to the delight of the crowd.
A 19.884 sees Sainz go top, as Perez posts a 20.238 to go second. Both are on softs.
On his first flyer, Russell stops the clock at 19.405 as Schumacher goes wide at Turn 4.
Hamilton improves to 20.472 but remains fifth, 1.067s off his teammate's pace.
Another off for Schumacher this time spinning at Turn 10 after hitting a dump on the apex.
"This guy, he totally blocked me," says Zhou of Magnussen, while Sainz expresses similar feeling about Bottas.
18 minutes in and still no sign of Verstappen, Gasly, Alonso and Albon.
Gasly, Albon and Verstappen finally head out.
What are the odds of the Dutchman going quickest on his first flyer?
Alonso heads out on mediums.
Only a PB in the opening sector for Verstappen, however he posts a purple in S2. At the line it's 19.296 as he goes quickest by 0.109s.
This boy doesn't mess about.
"My first sector was terrible, with the kerb," he complains.
"Abort the lap and box," Gasly is told, "we have a lot of flap on the car, come in for flap adjust."
A big lock -up followed by a trip across the grass for Gasly.
Hamilton goes quickest in S2, but remains sixth, 0.695s off Verstappen's pace.
On the mediums, Alonso improves to ninth, the Spaniard the quickest of the medium runners.
On softs, Albon goes seventh with a 20.483.
After 13 laps Schumacher is eighth, while teammate Magnussen (14 laps) is 20th.
Russell goes quickest with an 18.399, and while Hamilton looked set to go even quicker - having enjoyed a bit of a tow - Hamilton can 'only' manage second 0.144s off the pace. Both were on fresh softs.
A 19.317 sees Norris improve to fourth as Verstappen heads out on fresh softs.
A PB for Verstappen in S1, but a minor lock-up into Turn 4 sees him abandon the lap. "Same problem again," he reports.
No such issues for Bottas however, as the Finn improves to fifth with a 19.390.
As Latifi improves to 13th with a 2.848, Ricciardo begins a flyer on fresh softs. A PB in S1 is followed by another in the second sector. At the line it's 20.139 as the Australian goes tenth.
Verstappen improves to 18.876 but remains third 0.477s off the pace. Perez can only manage 19.432, but that doesn't appear to bother his fans... of whom there are many.
"The front-left is horrible to warm up, I'm doing my best," says Vettel. "The car's basically not slowing down when I brake."
Magnussen can only improve to 18th, the Dane really off the pace today.
Leclerc improves to fourth (19.123), while Sainz can only manage sixth (19.301).
Meanwhile, Magnussen has dropped to 20th again.
"That was a shocking lap," says Vettel. Asked if he's referring to the brakes, he replies: "The whole car to be quite honest." On-board reveals just how much the four-time champ is struggling.
Sainz posts PBs in the first two sectors but then encounters traffic in the final complex of corners.
The session ends. Russell is quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez, Sainz, Norris, Bottas, Tsunoda and Albon.
Ocon is eleventh, ahead of Zhou, Alonso, Ricciardo, Gasly, Stroll, Schumacher, Latifi, Vettel and Magnussen.
A number of teams appear to have brake or tyre warm-up issues, including Red Bull and Ferrari and it is going to be interesting to see if they can overcome this over the next couple of hours.
We shall see.
Check out our Saturday gallery from Mexico City here.