Hamilton fastest in both sessions
Alonso set to race at Le Mans next season
Final practice at 13:00 GMT on Saturday, qualifying at 16:00
Sergio Perez is watching on from the Force India garage as George Russell continues to rack up the laps. His debut is ticking along nicely with the Briton currently 13th quickest. His time of 1:11.359 is within six tenths of fellow Force India driver Esteban Ocon.
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer
It's only Friday - as Sebastian Vettel always likes to remind us - and Ferrari have had a few Friday's were they've been a bit slow and off the pace, then turn it around on the Saturday.
On the face of it at the moment, Mercedes were quicker on the first runs on the soft tyre then anyone else was on the super-soft.
Let's hope for the sake of the competition, Ferrari and Red Bull can close that gap.
Weeee that was close!
Nico Hulkenberg forces Lewis Hamilton wide at Turn 12.
"That was dangerous of Hulkenberg," Hamilton complains.
Did Hulkenberg not see the Mercedes?
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Kimi Raikkonen's supersoft run sees him climb up to third but his time of 1:09.744 is half a second off the Mercedes.
It's only Friday - blah, blah, blah - but those Silver Arrows are looking mighty strong once again.
#bbcf1
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But Lewis Hamilton nails it on the next lap, lowering the bar with a 1:09.202.
Both Mercedes are currently seven tenths clear of Sebastian Vettel.
Valtteri Bottas shaves a tenth of a second off Lewis Hamilton's previous best to go quickest of all with 1:09.329.
Hamilton, meanwhile, scuppers his attempt to set the fastest time of anyone, overcooking it towards the end of his lap and running wide.
Tom Clarkson
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentator in Mexico City
I always feel with [Hulkenberg] that he's going to deliver something special here at Interlagos.
In 2010, he put the Williams on pole position in a wet qualifying session, right at the end of Q3, he found a dry line and just out-performed Vettel and the other experienced drivers.
That immediately got everyone's attention and every year he's come back, he's been quick.
Both Mercedes are out with supersofts on so we will soon be seeing the times coming down even more.
Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Brazil
Stoffel Vandoorne this weekend finally catches up with the upgrade package that Fernando Alonso has been using for the last couple of races, adding the new front wing that goes with the new floor, rear wing and barge boards. McLaren’s form has been on a definite upward trajectory in the second half of the season and both men are eyeing points this weekend.
Alonso said: “If we have a good weekend, no issues on Friday, Saturday and Sunday I think the points are guaranteed so i think we need to deliver that result. From Hungary onwards every step we introduced in the car was quite positive even if in Spa, Monza we didn’t prove it. we are in the right direction. Definitely still a little bit to catch the top guys in terms also the chassis but we are optimistic that we know our strengths and weakness and we need to make sure in March next year we attack all of them.”
Image source, F1.comIt's all quiet on the circuit as we approach the midway point of the session. Here's the top 10 times:
1) Hamilton 1:09.445
2) Bottas +0.235
3) Massa +0.852
4) Vettel +0.876
5) Ricciardo +0.928
6) Verstappen +1.023
7) Vandoorne +1.165
8) Raikkonen +1.259
9) Ocon +1.600
10) Stroll +1.832
Felipe Massa is up to P3 thanks to a 1:20.297.
It's groundhog day for the Brazilian because he is taking part in his home race for the second 'final' time, if that makes sense.
Massa is retiring at the end of the season. He initially said last season would be his last, prompting an emotional guard of honour in the pit lane in Brazil after he retired from the race, but it was later confirmed he would stay on for 2017.
Image source, Getty ImagesTom Clarkson
BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentator in Mexico City
I feel it's been a bit of a game of two halves for Vatteri Bottas.
Apart from that slightly below-par performance in China, I though his opening half of the season up until the summer break, he did very well.
You could argue Hamilton wasn't performing quite as strongly as he is now, but I thought Bottas acquitted himself well.
A huge factor for Mercedes is the atmosphere in the team in comparison to what there was last year.
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty ImagesIncidentally, that time of 1:09.672 by Lewis Hamilton is a new record at the current iteration of Interlagos, beating the previous time set by Juan Pablo Montoya in 2004 by almost two seconds.
No time yet for Fernando Alonso while Stoffel Vandoorne is currently fifth quickest with 1:10.610. That a second off Lewis Hamilton's time.
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A clean lap for Lewis Hamilton as he moves top of the order, clocking a 1:09.672.
A not-so-clean lap for the Briton soon after as he runs wide.
"Is the car OK?" Sebastian Vettel is asked.
"Yes it's OK. I just pushed too hard into turn 8 and lost it at turn 9."
Sebastian Vettel will be hoping Sergio Marchionne had just nipped off for a coffee because he's just had a spin!
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Andrew Benson
BBC Sport’s chief F1 writer in Brazil
Ferrari have not won a race since Hungary in August, and have watched since then their championship disintegrate because of team and driver errors. Since Mexico, president Sergio Marchionne has had a bit of a pop at Sebastian Vettel, saying they lost a lot because of the drivers’ misjudgements.
“It is fair enough,” Vettel said. “There are always things you do a bit different. we all agree we didn’t have the season we could have had or should have had for various reasons.”
Did he regret any mistakes in particular?
“Looking back to Baku stands out. The rest I think has been OK.” Did he feel a responsibility to get a victory to give the team a lift before the season. “I am part of the team and we all lived through the season together,” Vettel said.
“That is the same for the next two races. The morale is good. The guys had a tough time the last two weekends, we hope for two calm weekends to finish the season but not calm in terms of results. We are obviously aiming for the maximum.”
Image source, Getty ImagesBrendon Hartley's Toro Rosso is swiftly dealt with and we're green again.
Several times on the board now with Valtteri Bottas' 1:10.102 still the benchmark. Sebastian Vettel is currently second quickest, two tenths off Bottas' time.