Normal service is resumed as Lewis Hamilton sails to the top of the timesheets with a 1:40.993, half a second quicker than Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg. Kevin Magnussen is the closest challenger in third, half a second further back.

Williams' Felipe Massa loses the rear end and spins at Turn One. There's no harm done, though, and he's soon back on his way.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

"Both former Caterham drivers are in Austin despite the absence of their team, trying to sort out a future in F1. Kamui Kobayashi said there was 'some chance' the team could be in Abu Dhabi, but it appears time is running out. The administrator said if so, that will be with a new owner, and if Caterham is not sold in two weeks' time, it will probably have to be wound up. Kobayashi said no-one from the team rang him to say what was going on but that he has no regrets about taking the drive.

"He also addresses the story broken by BBC Sport after the Russian race that he had been scared to get in the car on Saturday at Sochi following a repair to a damaged suspension arm. 'When I saw that I was a bit scared and posted it on my private one but my question was who posted these things in my private one. It's not really (what you should do). I was a bit scared in the beginning but when I raced it was fine.'"

Jenson Button gets a bit grumpy with his race engineer when asked to repeat a radio message. The 2009 world champion shouts the feedback back for a second time and then snaps "and sort the radio out". Ouch.

Lewis Hamilton has topped second practice 13 times in 16 rounds this year - and he has only been outside of the top three once (in Malaysia). The 2008 world champion has yet to make an appearance, with just over 75 minutes remaining.

Image source, Getty Images

Jenson Button is the early pace-setter, the McLaren driver clocking a 1:42.427, two seconds quicker than Valtteri Bottas with Romain Grosjean four tenths further adrift.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

"You have to feel for Jean-Eric Vergne at the moment. Comparable on race form - if not in qualifying - with Daniel Ricciardo when they were Toro Rosso team-mates in 2012-13 and pretty equal everywhere with Daniil Kvyat this year, the Australian and the Russian will be in Red Bulls next season while the Frenchman is staring at the dole queue.

"But Kvyat's promotion to replace Ferrari-bound Sebastian Vettel has at least opened up the possibility of another chance for Vergne at Toro Rosso, who had initially planned to team Kvyat with newcomer Max Verstappen next year. Vergne says he thinks him staying to give the 17-year-old Dutchman a benchmark to learn from is "the best option for everyone". But it's far from certain he'll get that chance, with Formula Renault 3.5 champion Carlos Sainz and GP3 front-runner Alex Lynn in the running as well, and Toro Rosso there to promote young drivers."

Valtteri Bottas is among the first drivers out on track. The Finn made way for reserve driver Felipe Nasr in the first session, so it's no surprise to see him get out early to catch up on lost ground. He's joined by Romain Grosjean and Jenson Button.

Image source, Lotus on Twitter

We're just minutes into the second session and we've got our first celebrity spot of the day. It's Matt LeBlanc, of Friends and Episodes fame, who is enjoying the hospitality over at Lotus.

The waiting is over. Let second practice begin!

The wind is gusting in Austin so expect to see a few drivers get caught out, especially in the high speed corners. Just three minutes until the start of the session.

Chris #ForzaJules:, external I like the fact that teams are stretching out parts life, unreliability makes the season more interesting after 20+ car finishes!

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

"The plight of Marussia and Caterham, missing this weekend after going into administration, has re-awakened the debate about three-car teams. It is a controversial subject, as outlined by opposing views from Jenson Button and Daniel Ricciardo.

Button said: 'I don't like the idea of three cars in a team. Two cars is the way it always has been and it is the way it works in Formula 1. If you have one team like this year that have been a step above then they lock out the podium in the top three places. So personally I feel it is a shame if it goes in that direction.'

Ricciardo said: 'More cars is nicer anyway but the drivers (and) the people who work for those teams are losing their jobs. Three-car teams I don't see any negative from that, to have another team-mate and see more cars on the grid.'"

It's a big weekend for Mexican duo Sergio Perez and Esteban Gutierrez. Neither have deals in place for 2015 so a strong performance in what is, until next season when the Mexican GP joins the calendar, the closest thing they have to a home race, with Austin just 225 miles - the distance from London to Manchester - from the Mexico border.

Image source, Toro Rosso/Twitter

Toro Rosso on Twitter:, external The Beauties and the Beast! #Halloween #Trick orTreat in the Circuit of The Americas Paddock!

Strong stuff from Bob Fernley there. Where does Formula 1 go from here? Any thoughts? If you were in control of the sport what would you change? and Fire them over via the #bbcf1 hashtag, text 81111 (UK only) or leave a comment on the BBC Sport Facebook page. , external

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

"Force India deputy team principal Bob Fernley has been one of the most outspoken critics of the financial structure that has been created in F1, with the big teams getting much greater income than the smaller ones and a 'big six' on the strategy group making decisions with the others effectively disenfranchised to a degree. And he has gone in with both feet on Friday.

"'We have missed an opportunity in F1 to be able to get it sustainable,' Fernley said. 'That is passed us and there is no point looking back. F1 is at a crossroads. I think it will be in a different format in 2015 and I don't know what that is. There is clearly an agenda. CVC and the teams they have empowered have got some form of programme in place because nobody (otherwise) would have teams going out of business a split that is inequitable. Two teams have been forced out of F1 and how many need to be forced out of F1 before they achieve the goal they are looking for?'"

Image source, Mercedes/Twitter

Mercedes on Twitter:, external Pre-FP warm-up @nico_rosberg style! #Tekkers

Image source, AP

The Circuit of the Americas is the second Texas venue to host an F1 race. What was the first I hear you ask? It was the one-off Dallas Grand Prix of 1984, of course, and held during a time when there were TWO United States Grand Prix on the calendar. The other was in Detroit.

The track is situated in the unincorporated community of Elroy, which officially had a population of 125 at the most recent estimate (in 2000). It is 24km from the centre of Austin, the state capital of Texas, the metro area of which boasts 1.8m people.