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Lorraine McKenna

  1. Leclerc tops Mexico first practice

    Charles LeclercGetty Images

    Ferrari were the only team not to run a rookie in first practice earlier on, opting instead to have both Charles Leclerc and seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton in the car.

    Leclerc ended up 0.659 seconds quicker than Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli after some soft-tyre runs, with the other Silver Arrows of reserve driver Frederik Vesti in third place.

    Ayumu Iwasa, who was sitting in for four-time world champion Max Verstappen at Red Bull, was the highest of all the rookies in fifth, while veteran Fernando Alonso put his Aston Martin seventh on the timesheets.

    At Cadillac, American Colton Herta was able to do enough laps in Mexico to score the 40 points he needed to secure the superlicence required to step up and enter Formula 1.

  2. Welcome back

    Lorraine McKenna
    BBC Sport Journalist

    Fans hold up signs in Mexico for Sergio PerezGetty Images

    Hello again, folks. The rookies have completed their hour in the car in Mexico, so it's time for the full quota of regular drivers to return to the track.

    Ferrari are off to a positive start at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, topping the opening session from championship leader Kimi Antonelli by a hefty margin.

    Charles Leclerc was the man to beat the 20-year-old Italian, who can be crowned title winner this weekend with a top-nine finish on Sunday.

  3. Report: Leclerc fastest in Mexico City Grand Prix first practice

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    Charles LeclercGetty Images

    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc led Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli in first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix, where the Italian is poised to clinch his first world title.

    Leclerc was 0.659 seconds quicker than Antonelli, for whom a ninth-place finish will secure the championship regardless of any other results.

    Only a victory by his team-mate George Russell or Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton can theoretically stop Antonelli becoming champion on Sunday. Even then, Antonelli only needs ninth place if Russell wins and 10th if Hamilton does.

    Third quickest in the session was Mercedes reserve Frederik Vesti, driving Russell's car, ahead of Hamilton.

    Mercedes were one of 10 teams to choose this session to do one of their mandatory rookie sessions. Only Ferrari had both race drivers in their cars.

    Read the full report here

  4. Back for FP2 at 21:45 GMT

    There were a few little issues for the rookies taking part in the opening hour in Mexico but overall, that will go down as a decent session for the new drivers. Especially for Colton Herta, who has now collected his 40th super licence point, taking him one step closer to potentially sealing a seat in Formula 1.

    Ferrari looked quick in that session, but will they be in the fight for pole position tomorrow? Let's have another practice run tonight and find out.

    We'll be back at 21:45 GMT for second practice, so go and watch The Traitors and then head back over.

    See you shortly!

  5. And the rest

    11. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)

    12. Nikola Tsolov (Racing Bulls)

    13. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)

    14. Gabriele Mini (Alpine)

    15. Ryo Hirakawa (Haas)

    16. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

    17. Leonardo Fornaroli (McLaren)

    18. Sergio Perez (Cadillac)

    19. Jak Crawford (Aston Martin)

    20. Luke Browning (Williams)

    21. Freddie Slater (Audi)

    22. Colton Herta (Cadillac)

  6. Have your say using the 'get involved' button

    I know it’s FP1 but Alonso in P7 is crazy for an Aston that has been awful this season. Potential points for Aston Martin this weekend?

    Jacob, Cardiff

  7. Top 10

    1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:18.128

    2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.659

    3. Frederik Vesti (Mercedes) +0.733

    4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.738

    5. Ayumu Iwasa (Red Bull) +0.985

    6. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +1.082

    7. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1.229

    8. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +1.248

    9. Oliver Bearman (Haas) +1.284

    10. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls) +1.350

  8. 'Rookies have done a decent job'

    Marc Priestley
    Ex-F1 mechanic on Radio 5 Sports Extra in Mexico City

    It's been a great opportunity for the rookies - busy grandstands, huge media presence - and I don't think any of them have done themselves a disservice.

    They've all done a pretty decent job.

  9. chequered flag

    Chequered flag

    The rookie practice session is done.

    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ends the hour quickest with a time of 1:18.128 on the soft tyre.

    Championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who needs only a top-nine finish in Mexico to be crowned title winner, is second fastest, 0.659 seconds off Leclerc.

    And well done Frederik Vesti. The Mercedes rookie finishes top of the newbies in third place.

  10. Charles Leclerc is showing the Ferrari has pace in the high altitude of Mexico City, but can that speed continue throughout the whole weekend? The Scuderia topped every practice session in Austin but then faded when it came to qualifying.

  11. Carlos Sainz is startled as the Mercedes of Fred Vesti suddenly appears on the racing lines. "What the hell?!" says the Spaniard over the Williams team radio.

    Colton Herta is in for Finn Valtteri Bottas during first practice over at Cadillac and American has reached an important milestone of 24 laps at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, which means he finally qualifies for an FIA superlicence.

  12. Top five

    1. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 1:18.128

    2. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +0.659

    3. Frederik Vesti (Mercedes) +0.733

    4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.738

    5. Ayumu Iwasa (Red Bull) +0.985

  13. The virtual safety car is cleared so cars can continue with their various run plans.

    At Racing Bulls, Nikola Tsolov is having trouble with his leg. The Bulgarian is stood up in the cockpit, trying to shake out the aches and pains.

  14. Well done, Audi. British rookie Freddie Slater is getting ready to come back out with 11 minutes left of this session.

  15. Virtual safety car

    The yellow flags are out for Aston Martin's Jak Crawford, who has come to a stop on the Mexican track. The American was told by his pit wall to slow down and stop the car, and now the virtual safety car is deployed.

  16. Freddie Slater will be staying in the garage now, but the teenager does get another chance at an FP1 session next weekend in Brazil, so all is not lost for the Briton.

    George Russell is watching on for this hour as Frederik Vesti climbs into the top three on his low fuel, soft-tyre run. He's seven tenths away from Charles Leclerc, but there's only a small between himself and championship leader Kimi Antonelli.

  17. Lewis Hamilton has reached Turn 13 on his latest hot lap but the Briton can't wrangle in that prancing horse, so he stays third on the timesheets.

    Alpine's Pierre Gasly is doing both sessions today and the frenchman, who banked another point in Austin, is fourth quickest behind Hamilton after his run on the soft compound.

  18. Leonardo Fornaroli is having a tough old session in the McLaren. The 21-year-old Italian is given a list of things his issues could be by the pit wall as he struggles to find the sweet spot in Ladno Norris' car.

    Lewis Hamilton gets a flying lap in on the softs but he can't get close to that top marker by Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc. The seven-time world champion is a second off the pace in third spot.

  19. Leclerc fastest on softs

    Charles Leclerc has dusted off the soft tyres to see if he can put his car back to the top of the timesheets. The Monegasque driver has a shot at claiming second in the standings himself, as he's only nine points off. Mercedes' George Russell.

    Soft beats hard so far, as Leclerc goes fastest with a 1:18.128.

    Next up on the red rubber is championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who slots into second, 0.659 seconds away from Leclerc's best marker.

  20. 'We'll see what these teams can do in second practice'

    Marc Priestley
    Ex-F1 mechanic on Radio 5 Sports Extra in Mexico City

    You've got to take all these lap times with a slight pinch of salt. Nobody has been pushing for outright lap times - but that will change.

    When we get into the second session we'll really see what these teams and drivers can do around here.