F1 GP Japan, Free Practice 1: Mercedes in front with Rosberg

First round a Nico Rosberg in Japan. The pilot of Mercedes he ended Friday morning in the lead, with the best time of 1:32.431, achieved on the soft compound, ahead of his teammate's car - two tenths away - and the two Ferrari, separate for a second and with Hag to precede Raikkonen. Behind the leading quartet follow the Red Bull, who however did not use the softer compound in this first phase of testing, obtaining their times with the medium tyre. Hulkenberg, Perez, Alonso and Bottas complete the top ten.

News – Green light at Suzuka, with Vettel's red car first to leave the pits together with the Haas. Followed by Ocon, Alonso and then the rest of the grid; only Verstappen takes a few minutes longer than his colleagues before launching. The first time goes to Sergio Perez's Force India, which stops the clock at 1:34.956, on the soft tyre. Wehrlein and Ocon get behind him on the medium compound. Also with the mediums Alonso, who takes second place; Bottas is behind him, with the same tyre. But then the Spaniard ends up spinning and crashes into the barriers: back in the pits on his McLaren the bottom and rear wing will be replaced. On the track with the soft tire Raikkonen took the lead in 1:34.746, but then it was Hamilton's turn and immediately after Rosberg, in 1:33.751. Mercedes both on yellow compound. Vettel takes third place, followed by Kimi, Perez and Hulkenberg; all with the soft ones. Ricciardo and Verstappen follow on hard tires and then Alonso and Button on medium.

The single-seaters return to the pits for a short break; halfway through the session, Magnussen's Renault breaks the silence. Also inside Hulkenberg and Bottas, both with mediums. Force India takes fourth place, Williams is eighth, while Alonso is ready to get back to racing. With the new soft compound Raikkonen moves into second position, 66 hundredths behind Rosberg. Vettel then takes the lead in 1:33.525, with the new soft tyre, but then Rosberg takes the lead again in 1:32.431, with the same compound. Thirty minutes from the end, Raikkonen, Hamilton, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Perez, Bottas and Kvyat follow: the first 4 are on soft, all the others on medium tyres, except Kvyat on hard tyres. Meanwhile, Grosjean ends up against the barriers, complaining via radio about the failure of the brakes.

Fifteen minutes from the checkered flag Rosberg remains in the lead followed by Hamilton, Vettel, Kimi, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Perez, Alonso and Bottas. In the final stages of the session, the two Mercedes were busy with the race pace with the soft compound used. In the final minutes, only Alonso, Grosjean and Palmer were missing on the track due to an electrical problem. The session ends with Rosberg leading ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Perez, Alonso and Bottas.

F1 GP Japan – Times, results and laps Free Practice 1