Ricciardo expects Mercedes to up its game on Saturday in Mexico

Daniel Ricciardo is confident that Red Bull can find more time despite making a flying start to the Mexican Grand Prix weekend on Friday by setting the pace in the second Formula 1 practice at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Ricciardo edged out Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton to finish at the top of the timesheets in FP2, with the high-downforce setup requirement in Mexico playing into Red Bull's hands.

While Ricciardo feels he will be able to find yet more pace come qualifying and the race, he is wary of Mercedes' advantage on Saturdays given its tendency to turn up the wick for qualifying.

"We have been chipping away at it. Timing aside, we made some progress," Ricciardo said after the session. "Still a bit more [to come], the long runs we can still find a bit of pace, but on low fuel we are more or less there.

"We know Mercedes always has more on Saturday. So we still have to find a few more tenths to stay ahead of them tomorrow. But not a bad Friday.

"We can still be a bit better from what I feel. With set up I know we can improve a few things. So far it looks okay. It is going to be pretty close these last few races, it is going to be pretty close with the top three teams."