Summary

Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. As Yuki Tsunoda climbs the ladder of the top five, Sergio Perez still has complaints about his Red Bull, this time flagging issues with braking in slow speed.

    Meanwhile, the Haas of Nico Hulkenberg is third and the Alpine of Pierre Gasly is second, just 0.151 seconds way from Max Verstappen's best time.

  2. The two Williams of Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto have also put down impressive markers. Both drivers were inside the top five, but Lance Stroll and Fernando Alonso have charged through to push the pair down the order. Spaniard Alonso is the quicker if the Aston Martins and sits third.

  3. Lando Norris completes his first flyer on the softs and leaps above Carlos Sainz by 0.241 seconds. McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri is next up but a slight lock-up at Turns Four and Five leaves him down in 10th place.

    Max Verstappen is doing a Verstappen and putting his Red Bull above his rivals. The Dutchman is on the softs and is 0.205 seconds faster than Norris in this Q1 session.

  4. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Each team will have a tyre warm up procedure and each track will have it's own characteristics. Track temperature and air temperature have a key part to play in this warm up as well.

    Here I think that it works the tyre quite hard but the surface is actually quite difficult to get any grip from.

  5. The cheers and loud and encouraging as Sergio Perez passes the crowds at the stadium. Carlos Sainz is top of the timesheets but that lap from Perez was far from quick. The Mexican is eighth after his opening run on the softs.

  6. Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    There's a lot of money at stake for these mid to low pack teams in the Constructors' Championship, that P5, P6 battle is really important to them. We are obviously focused on who can win the title overall, but these teams will be desperate to pick up vital points this weekend.

  7. What can Mercedes do in this session? The car has been a handful, so a positive qualifying would be just the ticket. Both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have joined the Ferrari boys on the medium rubber.

  8. 'Verstappen is Verstappen'

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    Verstappen is Verstappen, you get these race weekends where it looks like he's struggling and suddenly he pulls it out and he's on the front row after all, really unpredictable heading into qualifying.

  9. I'm not going to tell you when Fernando Alonso's last pole position was, because (I think) it's a question in the quiz. Just know that most of the pups on the grid were still in school.

    Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz are out on mediums, the rest have opted for the soft tyres.

  10. 'Risk of rain is 10%'

    Ian Fergusson
    BBC weather forecaster

    Air temperature 22.1C and the track 45.4C. Light wind from the WNW. Dry; nearest light to moderate showers are ~25-30+km to the SW and fading before they head NE into the Mexico City area.

    FIA official risk of rain is 10%.

  11. Go! Go! Go!

    Off we go at high altitude. Q1 is green.

    FansGetty Images

  12. Before his 400th GP, how well do you know Alonso?

    Fernando AlonsoGetty 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

  13. Busy day for the FIA

    Lando Norris and Max VerstappenGetty 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

  14. 'If there is a weekend I want to do well, it's this one' - Perez

    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."

    Fans at Mexican GP.Getty Images
    Sergio Perez at the Mexican GP.Getty Images

  15. Any surprises for Q3?

    Liam LawsonGetty 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.

  16. Can Norris claim another pole?

    Lando NorrisGetty 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.

  17. What happened last year?

    FerrariGetty Images

    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.

  18. 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.

  19. Welcome back

    Oscar PiastriGetty Images

    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.

  20. McLaren finish top in final practice

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    Oscar PiastriGetty 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.”