'Second' drivers at Ferrari and Mercedes ahead of Vettel and Hamilton in first practice; Vettel spins, Ocon loses engine cover
Friday 28 April 2017 14:24, UK
Kimi Raikkonen set the pace from Valtteri Bottas in Practice One for the Russian GP as F1's under-pressure Finns outpaced their respective championship-leading team-mates.
The prospect of team orders being deployed in the tight Ferrari-Mercedes title fight had proved the major paddock talking point on Thursday, so the sight of Ferrari's Raikkonen and Mercedes' Bottas at the head of the P1 timesheet served as early boosts for the Finnish drivers' chances of strong weekends in Sochi.
Raikkonen's 1:36.074 time was less than a tenth quicker than Bottas, but 0.6s faster than third-placed Lewis Hamilton, as Ferrari claimed first Sochi bragging rights.
Championship leader Sebastian Vettel was only fifth in the second Ferrari, with the German spinning at Turn 16.
Max Verstappen was the lead Red Bull in fourth, but over a second off the pace, as Daniel Ricciardo took sixth amid changes to his RB13's front suspension.
The Sochi race has been habitually dominated by Mercedes power since its arrival on the calendar on 2014, and although Sergio Perez suggested on Thursday the German manufacturer's era of engine dominance was over, the final four cars in the top 10 were all Merc-powered.
The opening session was briefly stopped for a red flag after the engine cover flew off Esteban Ocon's Force India.
Russia briefly had two drivers on track but Renault reserve Sergey Sirotkin lasted just two laps before an engine problem stopped his car. Attempts to re-start the car from the cockpit proved fruitless and the Renault was wheeled into a service road, with the RS17 not returning thereafter.
Practice Two takes place at 1pm UK time, live on Sky Sports F1.
Russian GP Practice One Timesheet
1. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 1:36.074
2. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes, + 0.045
3. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, +0.607
4. Max Verstappen, Red Bull, +1.100
5. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari, +1.156
6. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull, +1.216
7. Sergio Perez, Force India, +1.383
8. Felipe Massa, Williams, +1.826
9. Lance Stroll, Williams, +1.870
10. Esteban Ocon, Force India, +1.991
11. Daniil Kvyat, Toro Rosso, +2.422
12. Kevin Magnussen. Haas, +2.673
13. Fernando Alonso, McLaren, +2.739
14. Carlos Sainz, Toro Rosso, +2.902
15. Jolyon Palmer, Renault, +3.084
16. Romain Grosjean, Haas, +3.459
17. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren, +3.467
18. Pascal Wehrlein, Sauber, + 3.657
19. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber, + 4.005
No time set: Sergey Sirotkin, Renault
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