Nico Rosberg fastest on Russian F1 debut
Nico Rosberg wrote himself into the history books on Friday as the first Formula One driver to set a timed lap at the inaugural Russian Grand Prix and first to top the practice timesheets.
Trending Photos
Sochi: Nico Rosberg wrote himself into the history books on Friday as the first Formula One driver to set a timed lap at the inaugural Russian Grand Prix and first to top the practice timesheets.
The German`s championship leading team mate Lewis Hamilton, who has built up a 10 point advantage after winning the last three races, was second fastest in 1:42.376 as Mercedes continued to dominate.
The team are expected to wrap up the constructors` championship with three races to spare on Sunday, having won 12 of the 15 so far with eight one-two finishes.
Ferrari`s Fernando Alonso was the first driver out of the pit lane when the green light came on, leading Force India`s Nico Hulkenberg.
McLaren`s Jenson Button was the early pacesetter as drivers got to grips with a layout compared to the former Valencia street circuit and Singapore, with the 2009 champion ending the morning as the third fastest.
Alonso was fourth and Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen, Button`s team mate, was fifth.
The only Russian regular, Toro Rosso`s 20-year-old rookie Daniil Kvyat, was a respectable seventh.
He was joined for the first session by 19-year-old compatriot Sergey Sirotkin, making his debut at a race weekend in the Sauber usually driven by Mexican Esteban Gutierrez.
Williams had a disrupted session when a problem with a tyre blanket damaged a set of Valtteri Bottas`s tyres, limiting his running.
All drivers took to the track with stickers of support for Jules Bianchi, Marussia`s French driver who was severely injured in a crash in Japan last Sunday and remains in critical condition.
Marussia announced before the session that they would have only one car running this weekend, with Bianchi`s assembled and left in the garage as a mark of respect.
Chilton ended the session with the slowest time.
"I don`t know how to put into words how truly devastated I am by what has happened to Jules," he had said before the session started.
"It is going to be a very emotional weekend for the whole team, but we will try to get through it and keep praying for Jules."