Hamilton leads first free practice in Shanghai

© XPB 

Lewis Hamilton comfortably led the field in Friday's first free practice session for this weekend's China Grand Prix.

Hamilton clocked in with a time of 1m33.999 which was 0.59s faster than Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, while the reigning world champion's Mercedes team mate Valtteri Bottas was 0.458s adrift.

Chinese Grand Prix - Free Practice 1

PosDriverTeamTimeGapLaps
1Lewis HamiltonMercedes1:33.999s22
2Kimi RäikkönenFerrari1:34.358s+ 0.359s14
3Valtteri BottasMercedes1:34.457s+ 0.458s28
4Daniel RicciardoRed Bull1:34.537s+ 0.538s22
5Max VerstappenRed Bull1:34.668s+ 0.669s22
6Sebastian VettelFerrari1:34.861s+ 0.862s18
7Kevin MagnussenHaas1:35.178s+ 1.179s21
8Carlos SainzRenault1:35.616s+ 1.617s23
9Romain GrosjeanHaas1:35.718s+ 1.719s21
10Nico HülkenbergRenault1:35.800s+ 1.801s18
11Pierre GaslyToro Rosso1:36.037s+ 2.038s21
12Fernando AlonsoMcLaren1:36.044s+ 2.045s29
13Sergio PérezForce India1:36.051s+ 2.052s28
14Esteban OconForce India1:36.351s+ 2.352s32
15Sergey SirotkinWilliams1:36.691s+ 2.692s31
16Brendon HartleyToro Rosso1:36.715s+ 2.716s23
17Charles LeclercSauber1:36.723s+ 2.724s23
18Stoffel VandoorneMcLaren1:36.756s+ 2.757s25
19Marcus EricssonSauber1:36.909s+ 2.910s21
20Lance StrollWilliams1:37.277s+ 3.278s28

Drivers kicked off their first session in Shanghai under an overcast sky and with a strong chance of rain but fortunately the elements stayed away for the duration of FP1.

Mercedes took the opportunity to put to the test different rear wings specs. With the exception of an inconsequential spin for Hamilton at Turn 10, the session ran smoothly for the Silver Arrows outfit, and the four-time world champion in particular.

Hamilton and Bottas ran for 90 minutes exclusively on Pirelli's soft compound, while Ferrari's Raikkonen set his fastest time on the purple ultrasoft rubber.

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen were fourth and fifth in the session, the Dutchman clocking in 0.131s behind his teammate.

Sebastian Vettel was 0.862s off the leader's pace as he worked through his various set-up programmes.

Haas once again put in a good showing as 'best of the rest' with Kevin Magnussen clocking in P7, edging out Renault's Carlos Sainz, team mate Romain Grosjean and Nico Hulkenberg who rounded off the top ten.

Toro Rosso was once again faster than McLaren, with Pierre Gasly just edging out Fernando Alonso, while Stoffel Vandoorne concluded the morning P19 after a spin in the closing stages of the session.

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