Off we go at high altitude. Q1 is green.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Imagine if Fernando Alonso swept to pole position in his Aston Martin on the weekend of his 400th F1 race.

The chances of that actually happening are slim, but I'm confident a lot of you will be able to ace this quiz to celebrate the Spaniard's landmark achievement.

Have a go at the quiz here

Image source, Getty Images

If you're just joining us tonight, you may have missed some of the big stories making the headlines in Mexico. Don't worry, BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson has it covered.

First, Formula 1's governing body has rejected a request by McLaren to review a penalty handed out to Lando Norris in the United States Grand Prix. Stewards for the FIA dismissed the team's submission on the grounds that it contained "no relevant new element".

Have a read of that story here

And second, the FIA is to revise its racing guidelines following a meeting with drivers in Mexico. The meeting was described as "civilised" by one source. A spokesperson for the FIA said it was "collaborative".

Take a look at that story here

Red Bull's Sergio Perez spoke to Sky Sports before qualifying at his home grand prix: "It's been amazing every year. You tend to forget a little bit during the year the amount of support I get at home because we race all over the world and when you get back here, I realise how much support and how much energy these people give.

"The fact I've done it so many times and I know the main focus is on track and the best way to make them happy on Sunday after the race is to give [the fans] a great race. If there is a weekend I want to do well, it's this one."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The likes of Kevin Magnussen in the Haas and Alpine's Pierre Gasly made it through to the pole shootout last weekend in Texas, so who in the midfield can lift themselves into the top 10 this week?

RB's Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson were seventh and 10th respectively in final practice, plus Magnussen also riding high in ninth place. Just below them were the two Williams of Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto, split by the vibrant green Sauber of Valtteri Bottas.

The Finn and his team-mate Zhou Guanyu made it through to Q3 in Mexico last year when the team was still Alfa Romeo. This season, Bottas and Zhou have yet to score any points, leaving Sauber rock bottom of the constructors' championship.

Image source, Getty Images

A shorter trip back to the past brings us to last week's pole fight, where Lando Norris beat Max Verstappen to the front spot thanks to a helping hand from George Russell's late qualifying crash.

Norris had been 0.031 seconds quicker than Verstappen on their first laps, but the Dutchman had started his final lap much better than the Briton, only for both to have to abort.

It was an all-Ferrari second row with Carlos Sainz starting third and eventual race winner Charles Leclerc lining up alongside him in fourth.

If Norris takes pole again today, it will be his third in a row after Austin and Singapore and his seventh overall this season.

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If we cast our minds back to last year's qualifying, this may give hope to those teams who have been up against it so far this weekend.

Ferrari took a surprising one-two last year in Mexico, the Scuderia's pace coming out of nowhere as Charles Leclerc pipped Carlos Sainz by 0.067 seconds. Max Verstappen was 0.097secs off the lead in third.

Lando Norris was the shock exit in Q1 following a messy session. The McLaren driver failed to put a single lap together and ended up down in 19th place.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

McLaren are looking very strong, they seem a couple of tenths up the road from everybody but I think that the fight today will be between Piastri, Norris, Sainz and Leclerc for the front couple of rows.

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Hello again, folks. McLaren were top of the table in final practice at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez but can they stay there for Sunday's Mexico City Grand Prix?

With Max Verstappen recovering from engine issues yesterday and struggling for grip today, the Dutchman will have to produce the lap of his life to claim the front spot on tomorrow's grid.

Qualifying gets under way at 22:00 BST.

Commentary is live on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds and at the top of this page using the 'listen live' tab. Also ask BBC Sounds to play Mexico City Grand Prix qualifying via your smart speaker.

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris made it a McLaren one-two in final practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

McLaren dominated the session - Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was 0.340 seconds off the pace and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen fourth quickest, 0.511secs behind Piastri.

Piastri, whose car does not have a new front wing and floor that Norris does, was 0.059secs ahead of the Briton.

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was fifth quickest ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who was quick through the session but seemed not to nail a good lap on new tyres at the end.

McLaren’s pace, if it translates to qualifying, is what Norris needs as he seeks to close Verstappen’s 57-point lead at the top of the championship.

Norris needs to close on the Dutchman by an average of just under 12 points a race over the remaining five grands prix if he is to win the championship.

McLaren have already agreed that Piastri will help Norris’ title bid if the circumstances arise.

Verstappen appeared to be struggling in the Red Bull, saying over the radio: “This doesn’t work. There is no grip front and rear.”

Are McLaren the team to beat in qualifying? And if they are, who will come out on top between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris?

We haven't got long to wait to find out, so go and grab yourselves a break, maybe watch Strictly, and then come back and join us for build up to qualifying at 21:45 BST.

Q1 will go green at 22:00 BST.

See you shortly!

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Verstappen has had three really difficult practice sessions, he doesn't have any data to go by in regards to his team-mate because Sergio Perez has not been on the pace.

[Red Bull] have got to change something but what do they change?

11. Alex Albon (Williams)

12. Valtteri Bottas (Sauber)

13. Franco Colapinto (Williams)

14. Sergio Perez (Red Bull)

15. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

16. Nico Hulkenberg (Haas)

17. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

18. Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

19. Zhou Guanyu (Sauber)

20. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) - 1:16.492

2. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.059

3. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +0.340

4. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.511

5. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +0.568

6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.740

7. Yuki Tsunoda (RB) +0.810

8. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.849

9. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) +0.982

10. Liam Lawson (RB) +1.002

Harry Benjamin
BBC F1 Commentator

This is really going to unfold into quite an intriguing qualifying here, it feels that the pendulum is slightly shifting now in McLaren's favour.

Sam Bird
Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Every time that Mercedes tries to negotiate a corner, it's as if they just show it the corner and the rear will either over rotate and have an oversteer, or, they will go straight into understeer and have an oversteer moment on the exit.

It's like the drivers don't really know what's going to happen with the car, it looks so nervous and on edge.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez are struggling in the Red Bull. Moments after Verstappen flagged a lack of grip, Perez is on the blower to say there is "no potential on the front to attack the braking".

"Ah this doesn't **** work. There's no grip, front and rear."

With the McLarens showing decent form in this third practice session, Max Verstappen will be hoping the ghosts have been banished from his less-than-perfect Red Bull. The Dutchman is fourth on the timesheets but is now on the radio to say the lack of grip is worrying.