Mexican GP Friday practice
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Our man EDD STRAW notes that the rear stepped out on Giovinazzi out of T12 on that lap, but he "gathered it up well".
Stopwatch
Giovinazzi's second flying lap on softs is a 1m25.488s.
Edd Straw
Celis not quite as in tune with the grip levels as the regular drivers, gets on the throttle way too early in Turns 13 and 14.
Last year's FP1 best was a 1m20.914s, set by Hamilton, so there's massive room for improvement. Obviously. It was the first flying lap of the day.
Stopwatch
A time! Giovinazzi leaps to P1 in the Haas on a 1m27.318s.
It's a McLaren one-two early on in Mexico FP1 practice. Celis is fourth, just ahead of Gelael. Wehrlein sixth, Leclerc and Giovinazzi in the top 10.
Nobody's set a time, we're just stalling...
Nobody's set a time, we're just stalling...
Edd Straw
Big aero rake on the left hand side of Ricciardo's car. Like everyone, taking it cautiously as there's no grip.
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Edd Straw
Hamilton having to wait ages to get on the throttle out of T14 and even then having to manage some wheelspin.
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Hamilton completes the set – he's headed out in his Mercedes. No times on the board just yet. Lovely range of colouring on the official live timing screens – the full range of soft, super-soft and ultra-softs used for those installation runs.
In other words, we could do with something setting a time, as there's not much to talk about.
In other words, we could do with something setting a time, as there's not much to talk about.
Edd Straw
I'm watching at the entry to T13, the slow-right hander in the stadium section. Straight away, you can see lots of dust being kicked up and, even on sedate outlaps, it's low grip.
Well that was a hectic opening four minutes. Everyone except Hamilton's managed an installation lap.
Hartley still acclimatising to F1 of course after his return to single-seaters – maybe he's running the halo as a halfway house between his closed-cockpit Porsche LMP1 car and the open-top grand prix machinery he raced for the first time last weekend.
We've also got Celis in the Force India and Gelael at Toro Rosso. Gelael's stopping returnee Gasly getting some FP1 running. Toro Rosso's a bit of a mess at the moment.
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Weather update: bright but chilly. Air temperature 16C, track 28C.
McLaren lock out the front row – in the pitlane. Alonso and Vandoorne (with the halo on his car) park side-by-side and head out on track early. A host of runners join them, including Ferrari juniors Leclerc and Giovinazzi at Sauber and Haas respectively.
Green flag
Green light at the end of the pitlane, green flag icon at the ready. FP1 begins in Mexico.
Anyway, enough living in the (recent) past. It's almost time for FP1. Just two minutes until the first 90-minute session of the day.
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And finally, returning to some negativity (sorry) – Haas is braced for a rotten weekend. "For our car, for sure, it's one of the worst scenarios, if not the worst one"...ouch: 
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And now some good news – remember Nico Rosberg? Blonde guy? Drove for Mercedes? Won the 2016 Formula 1 title then retired in a rockstar-esque moment of glory a week later at the FIA prizegiving?
Yeah, that one. He's landed himself a gig of sorts, helping dad Keke's DTM-winning team prepare for a 2018 GT expansion:
Yeah, that one. He's landed himself a gig of sorts, helping dad Keke's DTM-winning team prepare for a 2018 GT expansion:
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Let's continue with our 'here's stuff that's happened in the last 24 hours' recap with some more recent news and comment.
First, some negativity. Ocon was not a happy man after his track walk yesterday:
First, some negativity. Ocon was not a happy man after his track walk yesterday:
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Focusing more on track-related activities, Alonso's announced he'll contest the 2018 Daytona 24 Hours. He doesn't have to skip a grand prix this time and says it's a chance for another big race and to improve as a driver.
But what's the real motivation behind it? Le Mans, obviously. GARY WATKINS explains (for Autosport Plus subscribers) what exactly Alonso will learn:
But what's the real motivation behind it? Le Mans, obviously. GARY WATKINS explains (for Autosport Plus subscribers) what exactly Alonso will learn:
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He has, however, taken to social media to apologies – hopefully drawing the line under the somewhat nasty matter once and for all: 
Verstappen hit out at FIA officials after being stripped of his third place for overtaking Kimi Raikkonen outside of the track limits on the final lap at Austin last weekend.
He said that decisions like it were "killing the sport" and also took aim at one steward in particular, widely understood to be Garry Connelly, with some poorly-chosen terminology (at best).
He said that decisions like it were "killing the sport" and also took aim at one steward in particular, widely understood to be Garry Connelly, with some poorly-chosen terminology (at best).
We've had two main storylines in the build-up to today's action: Fernando Alonso's latest busman's holiday, and Max Verstappen's stewards row. So let's bring you up to speed.
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Hello and welcome to Autosport Live's coverage of the Mexican Grand Prix weekend – starting with today's two practice sessions.
By: Geoff Creighton
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