The track was damp as the first F1 session in Mexico for over twenty years got underway. Intermediates were bolted to the cars to begin with but things gradually started to dry out and more meaningful running could continue. Max Verstappen posted the fastest lap of the day, although some suggested he may have cut corners to find the three tenths of a second he had on next place Kvyat.

Ferrari were next on the timesheets, with Mercedes further down, getting their weekend off to a slow start. Jolyon Palmer was in at Lotus, and he finished 15th, whilst Jenson Button had a shortened session to allow for yet another engine change.