BAHRAIN FP1: ROSBERG FASTEST AS MERCEDES DOMINATE

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton hogged the top of the timing screens at the end of the 

first free practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, and the difference in time to

the next best was immense.

Firing the first salvo in the battle in Round 2 of the F1 world championship, Rosberg’s 

best time of 1:32.294 was half a second up on his teammate, and nearly two seconds up on 

the best of the rest Kimi Raikkonen in the Ferrari.

Eternal optimists will argue that the session was irrelevant as the time of day has little 

relevance to the evening time when qualifying and the race will take place at the desert venue.

And also that Ferrari were keeping their powder dry for these very reasons. with

Sebastian Vettel doing limited mileage and not running the soft tyres, the German

ending the session down the order in 11th.

Nevertheless, Raikkonen did bolt on a set of yellow band Pirelli tyres to go third fastest, 

but on the Ferrari pit wall they would no doubt have been relieved if the Finn had at least 

been within striking distance of the Silver Arrows irrespective of the session and its relevance.



Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat were fourth and fifth fastest, respectively, 

ahead of Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Toro Rosso pair Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen were seventh and eighth, followed by 

Haas driver Romain Grosjean and Williams driver Felipe Massa.

After failing his FIA medical Fernando Alonso watched from the McLaren pit garage as 

team reserve Stoffel Vandoorne took over the cockpit with number 47 emblazoned on the car.

The Belgian rookie did well to stay out of trouble and get used to the car, ending the session 

with 25 valuable laps under his belt and 18th on the timing sheets, albeit a second down on his 

veteran teammate Jenson Button who was 14th at the nd of the 90 minutes session.

Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir – Free Practice 1, Best LapTimes
NO.DRIVERTEAMTIMEGAPLAPS1 6 NICO ROSBERG MERCEDES 1:32.294 24
2 44 LEWIS HAMILTON MERCEDES                                                       1:32.799 +0.505s 24
3 7 KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN FERRARI                                                              1:34.128 +1.834s 16
4 3 DANIEL RICCIARDO RED BULL RACING                                       1:34.461 +2.167s 27
5 26 DANIIL KVYAT RED BULL RACING                                               1:34.541 +2.247s 30
6 27 NICO HULKENBERG FORCE INDIA                                                1:34.601 +2.307s 28
7 55 CARLOS SAINZ TORO ROSSO                                                          1:34.793 +2.499s 21
8 33 MAX VERSTAPPEN TORO ROSSO                                                   1:34.860 +2.566s 19
9 8 ROMAIN GROSJEAN HAAS                                                                1:35.000 +2.706s 18
10 19 FELIPE MASSA WILLIAMS                                                             1:35.006 +2.712s 19
11 5 SEBASTIAN VETTEL FERRARI                                                        1:35.073 +2.779s 14
12 77 VALTTERI BOTTAS WILLIAMS                                                      1:35.174 +2.880s 21
13 21 ESTEBAN GUTIERREZ HAAS                                                         1:35.309 +3.015s 19
14 22 JENSON BUTTON MCLAREN                                                          1:35.440 +3.146s 28
15 20 KEVIN MAGNUSSEN RENAULT                                                    1:35.490 +3.196s 27
16 9 MARCUS ERICSSON SAUBER                                                          1:35.728 +3.434s 30
17 94 PASCAL WEHRLEIN MANOR                                                         1:36.371 +4.077s 26
18 47 STOFFEL VANDOORNE MCLAREN                                               1:36.392 +4.098s 25
19 12 FELIPE NASR SAUBER                                                                     1:36.719 +4.425s 24
20 30 JOLYON PALMER RENAULT                                                           1:36.939 +4.645s 28
21 34 ALFONSO CELIS FORCE INDIA                                                      1:37.287 +4.993s 23
22 88 RIO HARYANTO MANOR                                                                   1:37.714 +5.420s 27