It's a 1:19.790 for Sebastian Vettel on the super-softs, putting him half a second clear of Lewis Hamilton.

Twenty five minutes into the session and Sebastian Vettel is winding up for a qualifying simulation run. He's slipped off the medium tyres and stuck his feet into a set of super-softs. It's quick o'clock.

Jenson Button is also struggling with grip.

"High speed, big understeer," he says. "The rear feels like it is falling over, big snaps all the time."

Yellow flagpublished at 20:20 British Summer Time 28 October 2016

20:20 BST 28 October 2016

Nico Rosberg is the latest driver to be caught out by the track, locking up at Turn 1 and running wide, prompting a brief flutter of the yellow flags.

Jack Nicholls
Radio 5 live Formula 1 commentator

Very quick from Lewis Hamilton, just nine tenths off the pole time from last year.

There's evidently still a lack of grip on the track as Felipe Nasr spins and Fernando Alonso runs wide. 

Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton - fully warmed up - storms into P1 as a 1:20.362 puts him 1.5s clear of the field. Belting lap.

No times on the board yet from Romain Grosjean and Jenson Button. Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton have just got a first timed effort under their belts but nothing representative as they currently prop up the rest of the field.

A moment for Sergio Perez as he loses his rear at Turn 5. It's a very, very lazy spin, almost apologetic for barely being a spin at all. 

Sebastian Vettel launches himself to the top of the timesheet on mediums, clocking 1:22.024.

Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel are out now for Ferrari. Raikkonen is on soft tyres while Vettel is on mediums and the former takes full advantage of being on the faster tyres by going quickest after a 1:22.075. 

Mark Gallagher
BBC Radio 5 live Formula 1 analyst

It is tough physically on the drivers but speaking to some of them they really love it. Nico Rosberg says it reminds him of a go-kart track.

It looks like Sergio Perez is actually having his neck taped. A hangover from first practice? It's quite a tough track physically for the drivers.

First time on the board goes to Pascal Wehrlein as he does a 1:22.209.

The track is open and 90 minutes of second practice is under way!

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

It’s chilly in Mexico on Friday - coats and jumpers are the order of the day in the paddock. But that did not stop Max Verstappen’s brakes overheating in first practice. The reason this happened is because Mexico City is at 2,200m, by far the highest grand prix track, and the thin air means the cars get less cooling - and also produce less downforce. 

Add this to the slippery unused surface and it makes for a tricky weekend for the teams, who are running pretty much maximum downforce but getting only the equivalent load of a medium-speed track. 

Fernando Alonso poses for a photo alongside a chap in a rather snazzy t-shirt as he makes his way to his car. It's three minutes until the track is open and commentary is LIVE now online.