Hamilton fastest in wet 1st practice at US Grand Prix

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest lap in Friday's rain-soaked first practice for the U.S. Grand Prix as he chases a fifth career championship this weekend.

Hamilton's quickest lap at the Circuit of the Americas was 1 minute, 47.502 seconds. Teammate Valtteri Bottas was 1.3 seconds behind.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who must win Sunday or finish within seven points of Hamilton to extend the championship to next week in Mexico City, was fifth in the morning session.

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, of Finland, steers his car during the first practice session for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race at the Circuit of the Americas, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP PhotoEric Gay)

Wet weather is likely to impact the rest of practice and qualifying ahead of Sunday's race with rain expected through Saturday. The forecast calls for a dry race Sunday.

The slippery conditions caused plenty of early-session spinouts. Vettel ran through the circuit's hairpin turn and Sauber's Charles Leclerc spun into the grass. Leclerc's tires dragged gravel onto the track when he returned, forcing the session to be halted for several minutes for cleanup.

Sauber driver Charles Leclerc, of Monaco, steers his car during the first practice session for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race at the Circuit of the Americas, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP PhotoEric Gay)

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel, of Germany, steers his car during the first practice session for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race at the Circuit of the Americas, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP PhotoEric Gay)

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel, of Germany, steers his car during the first practice session for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race at the Circuit of the Americas, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP PhotoEric Gay)

Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas, of Finland, steers his car during the first practice session for the Formula One U.S. Grand Prix auto race at the Circuit of the Americas, Friday, Oct. 19, 2018, in Austin, Texas. (AP PhotoEric Gay)

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A race car veered off the track during a competition in Sri Lanka on Sunday and rammed into a crowd of spectators and race officials, killing seven people and injuring 20 others, officials said.

Thousands of spectators looked on as the mishap took place during a race in the town of Diyatalawa in the tea-growing central hills, about 180 kilometers (110 miles) east of the capital Colombo.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the mishap.

Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said one of the cars veered off the track and crashed into spectators and officials of the event. Seven people, including four officials, were killed and another 20 were being treated at a hospital, said Thalduwa. He said three of the injured were in critical condition.

Thalduwa said police have launched an investigation into the accident, which was the 17th out of 24 events scheduled. The race was suspended after the accident.

About 45,000 spectators had gathered at the race circuit at a Sri Lankan military academy. The event was organized by the Sri Lankan army and Sri Lanka Automobile Sports.

People attend to the injured after a racing car crashed into the spectators during the Fox Hill Supercross, a motor racing event organized by the Sri Lanka's army, in Diyatalawa, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/STR)

People gather around a car that had crashed into the spectators during the Fox Hill Supercross, a motor racing event organized by the Sri Lanka's army, in Diyatalawa, Sri Lanka, Sunday, April 21, 2024. (AP Photo/STR)