F1 practice LIVE: Max Verstappen fastest in second practice ahead of George Russell and Charles Leclerc

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has just flown ahead of Sergio Perez and Liam Lawson of Red Bull. He’s set a lap of 128.724 on the soft tyres which is 0.202 seconds faster than Perez.

It’s going to be an interesting contest between these two this weekend.

Not the start Pato would have been hoping for.

Esteban Ocon sets the quickest lap of these opening stages with a 1:29.496 for Alpine but he’s quickly overtaken by Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.

Neither car is pushing it to the max but both are out there on the soft tyres which are usually the quickest.

Liam Lawson - in for Max Verstappen - sits third on a set of hard tyres. That’s a nice start for the youngster.

This will be a session to see how the rookie drivers go.

Pato O’Ward - subbing in for Lando Norris in the McLaren - has an issue immediately and seems to have either a gear issue or a hydraulic one.

He’s asked to box after just one lap.

Mercedes’ George Russell has left the garage early and will be one of the first drivers out on the track. Word has come through that Jack Doohan has replaced Alpine’s Fernando Alonso for the practice session.

Sebastian Vettel, in his final Formula 1 race before retirement, heads out for Aston Martin.

Following their one-two finish last Sunday in Brazil, Mercedes are now just 19 points behind Ferrari in the constructors’ championship race to finish second.

Alpine have a firm grip on fourth after McLaren saw both Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris retire from the race at Interlagos.

Alfa Romeo are five points clear of Aston Martin and Haas are two points better off than Alpha Tauri thanks to Kevin Magnussen’s eighth-placed finish in the sprint.

Lots to play for in the final race of the season.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc will fight it out this weekend for second place in the drivers’ championship.

Max Verstappen failed to give up a place for Perez in Brazil meaning that both Leclerc and Perez head into the weekend on 290 points each.

Max Verstappen admits he had almost given up hope before the frantic end to last year’s season-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton, targeting a record-breaking eighth world title, was leading comfortably in the closing stages of the winner-takes-all race as Verstappen’s first World Championship seemed to be slipping away.

But Nicholas Latifi’s crash with five laps to go triggered a safety car, Verstappen pitted for soft tyres and a botched lapped cars procedure gave the Dutchman one final opportunity on the final lap.

The Red Bull star overtook Hamilton to claim his first world title in dramatic fashion but speaking to GQ, the 25-year-old admits that he had almost conceded defeat given Hamilton’s margin of lead before Latifi’s crash changed the complexion of the race.

Ferrari have rejected claims that team principal Mattia Binotto will be axed after the end of the 2022 Formula 1 season.

A report by Italian outlet Gazzette dello Sport stated Binotto - who has been under intense scrutiny this year after a number of high-profile strategic errors from the Ferrari pit wall - would be replaced by Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur for the 2023 season.

It added that Vasseur was highly regarded by Ferrari, who supply engines to the Alfa Romeo team - which are the Sauber operation to be supplied by Audi from 2026.

However, Ferrari have moved to dismiss the speculation in a short statement online.