I read earlier today some quotes from Nigel Mansell, who thinks Lewis Hamilton will get "very close" to matching Michael Schumacher's record haul of seven Formula 1 titles. 

Do you agree? If not, how many more do you think he can win and why?

Let us know via #bbcf1,, external text in on 81111 (UK only) and have your say on the BBC Sport Facebook page.

A lull in circuit activity now with the first-half hour of the session gone, drivers back in the pits to hand back the 'bonus' set of prime tyres.

As it stands it is 1) Bottas 2) Hamilton 3) Perez 4) Nasr 5) Vettel 6) Massa 7) Raikkonen 8) Sainz 9) Rosberg 10) Verstappen

Jolyon Palmer is in the Lotus for today's first practice session, and for the remaining first practice sessions of the season for that matter, replacing Romain Grosjean. Palmer is of course replacing Grosjean as Pastor Maldonado's team-mate in 2016.

Image source, Getty Images

Valtteri Bottas, having switched to the medium compound, goes fastest with 1:30.678 and the other drivers see that time as an indication that it is time for them to make the change too.

Lewis Hamilton, on his first lap with the new boots on, goes second fastest with 1:31.160. He was fastest of all through the second sector but ran a little wid in the third to lose a bit of time.

Image source, Reuters

I appreciate that pictures can be deceiving, catching people at a moment that might not reflect their actual mood accurately at that point in time, but I don't think these two pictures are far off displaying how Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton are feeling at this moment in time...

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

“Nico Rosberg, being the analytical sort of chap he is, asked his Mercedes engineers to look into reasons for the mistake that cost him the lead of the US Grand Prix to Lewis Hamilton - and therefore allowed Hamilton to win the championship last weekend. What did they come up with? ‘It was gust of wind, a big one,’ he said. ‘I’m serious! But everybody has it, and so you can't really use it as an excuse, It's still a mistake, but I understand my mistake now, and that's important, for me to understand it. It was a very unusual scenario which happened only once in all those laps. I understand the mistake and that helps me a lot moving forward. I lost a lot of rear downforce as a result.’

“It’s fair to say the reaction to that remark was sceptical. And it’s also fair to say that Rosberg was less than impressed by Hamilton’s post-race remark that it is the ‘worst thing’ to be his team-mate. Asked for his reaction, Rosberg said: ‘That comment makes it even better because I will get even more pleasure beating him next time, hearing such a comment.’”

Nico Rosberg may have lost out on the world championship to Lewis Hamilton, but he'll still be looking to finish the season strongly. He is also very much in a battle with Sebastian Vettel to finish second.

After an initial check of the circuit, Rosberg spent a fair bit of time back in the garage but he is back out now and has just gone second fastest with 1:33.174.

Sebastian Vettel relays the conditions for each corner back to his team in a very robotic manner.

"1,2,3 dry, 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 still a bit damp. 12,13 seems a bit dry with a bit of damp at 13, 14 dry, 15 ok and 16 damp."

Vettel is one of nine drivers to have completed a timed lap in these early stages, with Carlos Sainz now fastest after a 1:33.095.

The dry patches are increasing in size with 15 minutes of the session gone and Max Verstappen, who wasn't even born when F1 last raced in Mexico, sets the first timed lap of the day with a 1:35.283.

A few minor wobbles from some of the cars on the circuit, with drivers reporting it is very slippery.

"It is like ice everywhere," reports Fernando Alonso. "On both the dry patches and the wet patches.Very strange."

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

"No prizes for guessing the man in demand on Thursday - local hero Sergio Perez has been mobbed. If he’s bothered by it, though, it seems to be only in a good way. Perez describes racing in his home grand prix as ‘a dream come true’, adding: ‘It’s going to be the most special day of my career.’ 

"As for the pressure he will inevitably be under, Perez said: ‘Obviously there is a lot of pressure but I take it as a very positive one, there will be a lot of energy, people really supporting me and what I have to do is what I do every weekend, it’s focus on myself. Once I put the helmet on, it’s time to focus on what I’m doing,  I have to do the normal procedure that I do throughout the races. There are a lot of things that we have to do before the race start, before qualifying and so on. Obviously there is a lot of pressure but a very positive type of pressure  and I see that it will give me a very good motivation to do well this Sunday.’”

There's a decent crowd in the stands already, all no doubt waiting to catch a glimpse of local favourite Sergio Perez and he gives them what they are wish for by heading out for an installation lap.

Mercedes: "There's quite a lot of spray from T4-5, caution through there." 

Very tentative first venture out as the drivers get accustomed to a new circuit. The track has been declared wet so it is intermediate boots for the time being.

There may be no rainfall but the track is certainly a little damp as first practice gets under way. No-one is hanging about either, with several drivers getting on with things immediately.

Ben Edwards
BBC F1 commentator

“I like to walk the track on a Thursday - it gives you a real sense of the place that is very useful as the weekend develops. And this track is very much a park circuit, with elements of Albert Park, Montreal and perhaps even Monza. 

“The first straight goes on for ever and is wide initially, then narrowing towards the first complex. The stands there are steeply tiered and reach right down to the track, providing a close-up experience, a little like the first turn in Montreal. 

“Once into the complex, I don't think there’s the space to run side by side, especially after the second apex. Then the track runs flat out to a second complex, where the wall on the left on entry to the second right hander is almost on the circuit. Again there should be some good viewing here.

“From there the cars accelerate towards the Esses, which are less demanding than on the old circuit but should see the cars cornering at medium to high speed before heading down towards the baseball stadium. While this final section is very tight, and the F1 cars won’t be much fun at such slow speed, especially at the hairpin inside, the atmosphere there should be fantastic, and with the podium in there as well, the top three drivers are going to feel a lot of love! 

“Despite the fact that stands are still being finished and paint applied to track edges, the whole place feels smart, modern and revived; I was here in 2007 with the now-defunct A1GP series and it was atmospheric but rather sad. This, though, has been a very effective update, and I'm looking forward to seeing the cars out there.”