Max Verstappen is quickest in FP1 session in Mexico

In the first practice session in Mexico, Toro Rosso driver Max Verstappen topped the timesheets ahead of the Red Bull drivers of Daniil Kvyat and Kimi Raikkonen in a session after Verstappen only after running wide and skipping the apex of Turn 11 on his hot lap.

Drivers started the session on the intermediates after overnight rain in Mexico City left the circuit damp in places. Conditions on the track were tricky due to the combination of a wet track and freshly laid asphalt, with Sebastian Vettel reporting it was “ridiculously slippery”.

During FP1, Nico Rosberg had his session interrupted when his rear brakes caught fire after running wide at Turn 12. As Rosberg returned to the track flames were licking from his rear wheels; presenting a dramatic show for the fans sat in the old baseball stadium at the end of the lap. He immediately returned to the pits where he remained for 25 minutes while Mercedes assessed the damage and made changes to allow for more cooling.

But it was Max Verstappen who topped the timesheets with a lap time of 1.25.990 ahead of Daniil Kvyat in second place who was 0.305 seconds behind him but was ahead of his team mate Kimi Raikkonen who finished in third place who was 0.305 seconds behind the Toro Rosso of Verstappen.

Sebastian Vettel finished the session in fourth place ahead of Daniel Ricciardo in fifth place, Nico Rosberg in sixth place and Valtteri Bottas in seventh place. Carlos Sainz Jr ended the session in eighth place ahead of local driver Sergio Perez in ninth place and Felipe Massa who rounds off the top ten finishers.

Lewis Hamilton ended the session in eleventh place ahead of Marcus Ericsson in twelfth place, Pastor Maldonado in thirteenth place, Felipe Nasr in fourteenth place and ahead of Jolyon Palmer in fifteenth place. As we head into the latter stages of the grid, Nico Hulkenberg finished in sixteenth place ahead of Fernando Alonso in seventeenth place, Alexander Rossi in eighteenth place, Jenson Button in nineteenth place and Will Stevens who rounded off the grid in twentieth place.

The classification of FP1 for the Mexican GP is as follows:-

1. Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso, 1.25.990
2. Daniil Kvyat, Red Bull Renault, 0.305s
3. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 0.305s
4. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, 0.896s
5. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull-Renault, 1.195s
6. Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, 1.206s
7. Valtteri Bottas, Williams-Mercedes, 1.313s
8. Carlos Sainz Jr, Toro Rosso, 1.420s
9. Sergio Perez, Force India-Mercedes, 1.591s
10. Felipe Massa, Williams-Mercedes, 1.705s
11. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1.733s
12. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber-Ferrari, 2.508s
13. Pastor Maldonado, Lotus-Mercedes, 2.569s
14. Felipe Nasr, Sauber-Ferrari, 2.589s
15. Jolyon Palmer, Lotus-Mercedes, 2.721s
16. Nico Hulkenberg, Force India-Mercedes, 3.109s
17. Fernando Alonso, McLaren-Honda, 4.082s
18. Alexander Rossi, Manor, 4.629s
19. Jenson Button, McLaren-Honda, 6.101s
20. Will Stevens, Manor, 6.876s

Sarah Jones- @jonesy_laaa