Summary

  • Rosberg fastest in second practice, Hamilton fourth

  • Bottas suffers high-speed crash, Hamilton spins, Grosjean out

  • Verstappen crashes on first lap after being fastest in first practice

  • Slippery new track surface causing problems for drivers

  • Rosberg's rear brakes catch fire in FP1

  1. Man under the maskpublished at 15:57

    Nigel MansellImage source, Getty Images

    Fancy a quiz? I fancy a quiz (is guessing someone's identity a quiz?). 

    Can you name the former F1 driver under the mask in the middle of this picture? 

    Send your guesses to #bbcf1, external

  2. Postpublished at 15:55

    CircuitImage source, AP

    What's changed since 1992 then?

    The most significant alteration to the circuit is the legendary Peraltada corner, which has been cut in half and the track now twists its way through a baseball stadium section, and it looks amazing.

  3. A blast from the pastpublished at 15:50

    Nigel MansellImage source, Getty Images

    Nigel Mansell won the last race in Mexico back in 1992 on his way to winning the world championship.

    Mansell was also responsible for one of the most daring manoeuvres in F1 history, overtaking Gerhard Berger on the outside of Turn 14 -  the famous Peraltada corner - exiting at 192mph.

    Turn 17 of the now redesigned corner has been named after Mansell as recognition of his skill and bravery that day.

  4. Postpublished at 15:51 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2015

    Phew!

  5. Postpublished at 15:49 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2015

    Erm, get your skates on lads. Practice starts soon...

  6. Postpublished at 15:46

    OK then, time for a quick gander at today's schedule.

    First practice gets under way at 16:00 GMT and you can listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra.

    Then we have second practice at 20:00 GMT, with commentary again on sports extra. 

    You can listen and follow live text commentary on this very page.

  7. The people love Perezpublished at 15:44 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2015

    Tom Clarkson
    BBC F1 pit-lane reporter

    Sergio Perez meets the president of MexicoImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Sergio Perez meets the president of Mexico

    "Two things immediately strike you about Mexico City. One, the traffic. It’s awful. Two, how much this country seems to love Sergio Perez. At this stage, it’s difficult to work out whether Mexico is in love with F1 or just in love with ‘Checo’. 

    "Everywhere you go in town there are posters of Perez, mostly advertising his sponsors’ products and Fernando Alonso - a national hero in his home country - said prior to an interview I did with him on Thursday that it feels to him like being in Spain, such is the fans' reaction towards Perez.” 

  8. sun

    No rain todaypublished at 15:40 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2015

  9. A step into the unknownpublished at 15:37

    SauberImage source, Sauber

    Hello! Welcome to our coverage of practice for the Mexican Grand Prix.

    The battle for the drivers' and constructors' championships may be over,but the show must go on, and where better than at a venue F1 has not been to for 23 years.

    And, after spending most our time counting rain drops and watching drivers dancing in practice for the United States Grand Prix last-time out, things are looking good for plenty of Friday action...

  10. Cap-gate controversy and Turn One touchpublished at 15:32 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2015

    Andrew Benson
    Chief F1 writer

    Hamilton Rosberg

    “Lewis Hamilton arrived in Mexico as a three-time world champion, and very chilled and relaxed about it he was, too. You can read about what he’s been up to and what he thinks about it in his BBC Sport column, but it will come as no surprise that much of the questioning he faced on his arrival in Mexico City was about the fall-out from a couple of incidents with team-mate Nico Rosberg at the last race in Austin - their touch at Turn One, where Hamilton took the lead and ‘cap-gate’, as Wolff put it with his tongue in his cheek. 

    “Hamilton said he ‘didn’t think we really need to’ talk about the Turn One incident, even if team boss Toto Wollf, while playing it down, said he felt they did. Hamilton added: ‘I think Toto feels that he needs to perhaps sit with Nico to see where his head’s at. Obviously we don’t want any tension in the team. Generally we do often come together and just keep it transparent. I don’t really have anything to say about it but of course I’m sure we will sit down and see what Nico’s feeling and whatever emotions he has and try and dilute them and then move on. In terms of the cap thing, I don’t know. It’s pretty funny so I don’t really have much else to say about it.’”

  11. Formula 1 smackdownpublished at 15:30

    Lewis HamiltonImage source, Mercedes

    "I took the dude down."

    Talking about, external taking part in some wrestling ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix this week, Lewis Hamilton may as well have been describing his victory over Nico Rosberg in the battle for the world championship.

    Hamilton wrapped up his third title on Sunday in convincing fashion, delivering a decisive blow to Rosberg's hopes, as well as to the German's pride.

    With three races remaining, focus now starts turning to 2016. Will Rosberg finish strongly to suggest he can regroup and challenge next season? Or will Hamilton send out a warning to his would-be challengers with a further display of strength?