SEPANG, Malaysia (AP) Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton set the fastest time in Friday's practice for the Malaysian Grand Prix, bettering his teammate and Formula One title rival Nico Rosberg.
Hamilton, who has fallen eight points behind Rosberg in the championship fight following a hat trick of wins by the German, was a quarter of a second faster at the Sepang International Circuit, where temperatures on the resurfaced track climbed past 58 degrees (136 F).
The most noteworthy incident of the day's two sessions was a fire that engulfed the Renault of Kevin Magnussen in pit lane, which repeatedly reignited for several minutes due to a fuel leak.
Ferrari drivers Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen set the third- and fourth-fastest times, ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Force India's Sergio Perez.
