Chinese GP: Mercedes 1-2 in Practice 1

Lewis Hamilton

As expected, Lewis Hamilton has returned Mercedes to the top of the timesheets for the first free practice for the Chinese Grand Prix, the defending champion emerging more than 0.5 seconds ahead of his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg and 1.1secs ahead of Sebastian Vettel's Ferrari in third.

Hamilton lapped the Shanghai International Circuit, in 1min 39.033secs on a cool, but sunny start to the day.

Hamilton was more than a second clear of Malaysian Grand Prix winner Vettel in the Ferrari, while teammate Kimi Raikkonen remained a further half second adrift to leave Mercedes comfortably out front for now.

With the remainder of the competition at least 1.9secs behind, Felipe Nasr nonetheless emphasized the Ferrari power unit pace by going fifth best for Sauber, ahead of Red Bull pairing Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat, with Toro Rosso counterpart Carlos Sainz in eighth.

Results

1. Lewis Hamilton GBR Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 39.033s
2. Nico Rosberg GER Mercedes-Mercedes 1m 39.574s
3. Sebastian Vettel GER Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 40.157s
4. Kimi Raikkonen FIN Ferrari-Ferrari 1m 40.661s
5. Felipe Nasr BRZ Sauber-Ferrari 1m 41.012s
6. Daniel Ricciardo AUS Red Bull-Renault 1m 41.029s
7. Daniil Kvyat RUS Red Bull-Renault 1m 41.097s
8. Carlos Sainz Jr ESP Toro Rosso-Renault 1m 41.112s
9. Valtteri Bottas FIN Williams-Mercedes 1m 41.303s
10. Felipe Massa BRZ Williams-Mercedes 1m 41.304s
11. Pastor Maldonado VEN Lotus-Mercedes 1m 41.335s
12. Max Verstappen NED Toro Rosso-Renault 1m 41.575s
13. Jenson Button GBR McLaren-Honda 1m 41.845s
14. Marcus Ericsson SWE Sauber-Ferrari 1m 41.918s
15. Jolyon Palmer GBR Lotus-Mercedes 1m 41.967s
16. Sergio Perez MEX Force India-Mercedes 1m 42.141s
17. Fernando Alonso ESP McLaren-Honda 1m 42.161s
18. Nico Hulkenberg GER Force India-Mercedes 1m 42.184s
19. Will Stevens GBR Manor Marussia-Ferrari 1m 45.379s
20. Roberto Merhi ESP Manor Marussia-Ferrari 1m 46.443s