BARCELONA, Spain (AP) – Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton have set the pace in the first practice session for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.
Bottas was fastest with a lap of 1:18.148 seconds at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, nearly a second quicker than Hamilton.
Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, who trails Hamilton by four points in the drivers’ standings after four races, was third fastest.
Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland, in his car prior to free practice at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, just outside Barcelona, Spain, Friday, May 11, 2018. The Formula One race will take place on Sunday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Daniel Ricciardo, who crashed with Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen in Azerbaijan, had a tough start to his weekend in Barcelona by going off the track and hitting a tire barrier midway through the session. He had to retire and lost a lot of track time.
Ricciardo still finished with the seventh-fastest time, while Verstappen was fourth quickest.
Kimi Raikkonen was fifth with Ferrari, just ahead of crowd-favorite Fernando Alonso with McLaren.
Robert Kubica, Williams’ reserve driver, was back in an official F1 session for the first time since almost losing his hand in a rally crash in 2011. He participated in preseason testing this year, but his last race had been in the Abu Dhabi season finale in 2010.
The team had to make some modifications to Kubica’s car because the Polish driver doesn’t have full movement of his right hand.
Kubica, who had a spin toward the end of the session, finished with the second-to-last time – in front of teammate Lance Stroll.
Stroll nearly hit the tire barriers after going off the track with about a half-hour left in the session.
Drivers will return to the track for another 90-minute session in the afternoon.
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Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands gets into his car during free practice at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, just outside Barcelona, Spain, Friday, May 11, 2018. The Formula One race will take place on Sunday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland is wheeled out of the paddock during free practice at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, just outside Barcelona, Spain, Friday, May 11, 2018. The Formula One race will take place on Sunday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain gets into his car during free practice at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, just outside Barcelona, Spain, Friday, May 11, 2018. The Formula One race will take place on Sunday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherlands adjusts his helmet during free practice at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, just outside Barcelona, Spain, Friday, May 11, 2018. The Formula One race will take place on Sunday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland, right, waits in the paddock during free practice at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, just outside Barcelona, Spain, Friday, May 11, 2018. The Formula One race will take place on Sunday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland waits for the start of a free practice at the Barcelona Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo, just outside Barcelona, Spain, Friday, May 11, 2018. The Formula One race will take place on Sunday. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
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