Mexico FP2: Vettel leads the way

Tearing up the form book, Sebastian Vettel was the surprise name at the top of the order in second practice as the Ferrari driver pipped world champion Lewis Hamilton by just four thousandths of a second here in Mexico.

Fifteen of the 18 second practice sessions this season have been topped by Mercedes, but Vettel's pace on Friday would suggest Ferrari may be in a position to take the challenge to Formula One's all-conquering team this weekend.

The prospect of a Ferrari resurgence could be good news for Hamilton, who trails his Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg by 26 points with only three rounds remaining.

But the consensus in the paddock is that Mercedes have not dialed up the power on tap as the focus for the remaining three decisive races is on reliability.

Indeed Rosberg can afford to finish second at two of the remaining races, and third on one occasion, and still clinch what would be his maiden championship. The German however, who ran off the road at turn one in second practice, would appear to have work to do this weekend.

Hamilton's bid to keep alive his world title hopes got off to an ideal start after he finished fastest in first practice at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Rosberg, a comfortable winner here last year, was more than seven tenths of a second slower than Hamilton in first practice, and nearly half-a-second adrift of his championship rival on Friday afternoon.

Hamilton will be pleased by the margin to Rosberg in both sessions. He will also be buoyed by the potential of Vettel, and perhaps even his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, who was only marginally slower than Rosberg on Friday, splitting the Mercedes pair in qualifying.

And Vettel's best lap of 1:19.790 seconds at a chilly Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on Friday, on the surface at least, would lead us to believe that such a scenario is not wholly inconceivable.

Red Bull have taken the challenge to Mercedes following a prolonged dip in form for Ferrari, but Daniel Ricciardo was a distant fifth on Friday with his team-mate Max Verstappen, who battled a brake issue in the morning session, seventh.

Suggesting that the energy drinks outfit are keeping a lid on their real pace until it matters.

Kimi Raikkonen was fourth fastest in the other Ferrari, ahead of Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo in fifth with Max Verstappen seventh - the energy drinks outfit also appearing to be saving their best for later.

Force India's Nico Hulkenberg, was sixth fastest, splitting the two Red Bull's on the time sheets. Williams' Valterri Bottas was eighth, ahead of Carlos Sainz in the Toro Rosso in ninth.

Fernando Alonso rounded out the top ten in his McLaren with teammate Jenson Button, two tenths and two places adrift in 12th.