Mexican Grand Prix: Ricciardo outpaces Hamilton in second practice

Daniel Ricciardo outpaced championship chasing Lewis Hamilton to top the times in Friday's second free practice ahead of this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix.

Daniel Ricciardo outpaced championship chasing Lewis Hamilton to top the times in Friday's second free practice ahead of this weekend's Mexican Grand Prix.

The Australian, showing his Red Bull car was competitive in the rarified thin air conditions, clocked a best lap in one minute and 17.801 seconds to outpace the three-time champion Briton's Mercedes by one-tenth of a second.

Hamilton, who needs a top five finish to clinch his fourth drivers' world title, was outpaced earlier in the morning's opening free practice session by his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.

Ricciardo’s Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen was third, before he was halted by an engine failure, ahead of Hamilton's only remaining title rival, Sebastian Vettel.

The Ferrari driver endured a painful episode during the session when he had to abort a lap and drive back to the pits after feeling a stinging fluid in the seat of his car.

His team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was fifth ahead of compatriot Bottas, of Mercedes, who was sixth, Fernando Alonso of McLaren and local hero Mexican Sergio Perez of Force India.

Nico Hulkenberg was ninth for Renault and Esteban Ocon 10th in the second Force India.