F1 GP Russia, Free Practice 1: Raikkonen leads the Mercedes

The Red team is in the lead in Russia, at the conclusion of the first session Free tests on the circuit of Sochi. Kimi Raikkonen he achieved the best time, 1:36.074, placing himself ahead of his compatriot Bottas and Lewis Hamilton. Fourth time for Verstappen, followed by Vettel, Ricciardo, Perez, Massa, Stroll and Ocon. Quiet morning with the riders struggling with a track that is still very dirty: Hag was the protagonist of a long and a spin, thus unable to achieve a more incisive lap, while both Red Bull they struggled with the front set-up of the RB13. Brake problems also for the Haas, with Grosjean perpetually “in smoke” during the session. The Free 2 they will be able to provide us with a more precise picture of the real forces at play.

News – Everything is ready in Sochi for the first free practice session: the air temperature is 20°C and the asphalt is 33°C. Wehrlein with Sauber is first on track, followed by Sergey Sirotkin, who replaces Hulkenberg at the wheel of Renault in this first session. Magnussen, Ericsson, Vandoorne, Raikkonen, Grosjean, Vettel, Palmer and Kvyat join the pair on the track. The rubber is the soft for everyone, used only for Wehrlein and Ericsson. The Mercedes are the last to carry out the usual out laps. Sainz is the only one on track with the red supersoft compound. The first time of the morning is for Bottas: 1:39.871, followed by Hamilton. Sirotkin's Renault parks on the side of the track with the engine no longer responding. Meanwhile Hamilton takes the lead in 1:39.558. Perez and Stroll follow the two Mercedes on the time list, then Massa takes the fourth fastest time.

Vettel goes ahead and gets the best time in 1:38.709, Kimi is third, while the two Mercedes have switched to the supersoft compound. Bottas returns to the front in 1:36.998 and then drops to 1:36.119, followed by Hamilton, Vettel, Raikkonne, Massa, Ocon, Perez, Ricciardo, Stroll and Kvyat. Ricciardo rises to fifth place, Verstappen eighth. Mid-session, with all the drivers on soft, except for the two Mercedes and Sainz: Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Kimi, Ricciardo, Perez, Massa, Verstappen, Ocon and Sainz.

After a short break, Magnussen on the supersofts is the first to leave the pits, followed by Stroll, on the same compound, and then Raikkonen. Perez takes third position with the red compound behind Bottas and Hamilton. Followed by Vettel, Kimi, Massa, Ricciardo, Ocon, Verstappen, Stroll. Then Raikkonen took the lead in 1:36.074. All the drivers are now on the SS, except Vettel, Kvyat and Palmer who have yet to switch to the red compound. The red flag is waving on the track: Ocon's Force India has lost its bonnet and the marshals have to remove it from the track.

Fifteen minutes from the end, Raikkonen precedes Bottas, Hamilton, Vettel, Ricciardo, Perez, Verstappen, Massa, Ocon and Magnussen. The two Mercedes have returned to the soft compound used and are focusing on race simulation, as are the two Williams. Vettel spins and returns to the pits, thus abandoning the possibility of further improving. Vandoorne complains of a loss of power on his McLaren, while Alonso climbs to 12th position. Fourth time for Verstappen, after some time in the pits with Ricciardo, to resolve front set-up problems. But here comes the checkered flag: Raikkonen finishes in command followed by Bottas, Hamilton, Verstappen, Vettel, Ricciardo, Perez, Massa, Stroll and Ocon.

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