Lewis Hamilton remains fastest after first day at new F1 track
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton set the top time in Friday's practice at the European Grand Prix, ahead of teammate and Formula One championship leader Nico Rosberg, who had an engine problem.
Despite unfamiliarity with the bumpy, windy and low-grip Baku street circuit, Mercedes' dominance was undiminished.
The strong challenges that Red Bull and Ferrari had put up in Monaco and Montreal, respectively, were glaringly absent. Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo snapped off a wheel colliding with a barrier and teammate Max Verstappen suffered a clutch-related oil leak. The team's best time was 1.8 seconds off Hamilton, while Ferrari was further back.
Drivers continuously ran off as they tested the limits on the new circuit, while loose curbs damaged tires and required frantic adjustments.
FP2 results:
1. Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes (1:44.223)
2. Nico Rosberg - Mercedes
3. Sergio Perez - Force India
4. Valtteri Bottas - Williams
5. Nico Hulkenberg - Force India
6. Carlos Sainz - Toro Rosso
7. Max Verstappen - Red Bull
8. Sebastian Vettel - Ferrari
9. Jenson Button - McLaren
10. Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull
11. Fernando Alonso - McLaren
12. Romain Grosjean - Haas
13. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari
14. Daniil Kvyat - Toro Rosso
15. Esteban Gutierrez - Haas
16. Felipe Massa - Williams
17. Kevin Magnussen - Renault
18. Rio Haryanto - Manor
19. Marcus Ericsson - Sauber
20. Jolyon Palmer - Renault
21. Pascal Wehrlein - Manor
22. Felipe Nasr - Sauber
FP1 results:
1. Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes (1:46.435)
2. Nico Rosberg - Mercedes
3. Valtteri Bottas - Williams
4. Fernando Alonso - McLaren
5. Sebastian Vettel - Ferrari
6. Sergio Perez - Force India
7. Jenson Button - McLaren
8. Felipe Massa - Williams
9. Carlos Sainz - Toro Rosso
10. Nico Hulkenberg - Force India
11. Romain Grosjean - Haas
12. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari
13. Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull
14. Esteban Gutierrez - Haas
15. Marcus Ericsson - Sauber
16. Max Verstappen - Red Bull
17. Daniil Kvyat - Toro Rosso
18. Jolyon Palmer - Renault
19. Kevin Magnussen - Renault
20. Pascal Wehrlein - Manor
21. Felipe Nasr - Sauber
22. Rio Haryanto - Manor
Full times available at GP Racecast.
