Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest time Thursday in first practice for the Monaco Grand Prix.
The Mercedes driver and championship leader was .059 seconds quicker than Red Bull driver Max Verstappen on the sinewy 3.3-kilometer (2-mile) street circuit.
Mercedes teammate Valterri Bottas was third quickest and finished .072 behind Hamilton.
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the first practice session at the Monaco racetrack, in Monaco, Thursday, May 23, 2019. The Formula one race will be held on Sunday. (AP PhotoLuca Bruno)
Ferrari again looked off the pace with Charles Leclerc fourth ahead of teammate Sebastian Vettel.
A second practice is scheduled for later Thursday.
Mercedes has been dominant so far, placing 1-2 in all five races and with Bottas second in the title race.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen of the Netherland's steers his car during the first practice session at the Monaco racetrack, in Monaco, Thursday, May 23, 2019. The Formula one race will be held on Sunday. (AP PhotoLuca Bruno)
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Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland steers his car during the first practice session at the Monaco racetrack, in Monaco, Thursday, May 23, 2019. The Formula one race will be held on Sunday. (AP PhotoLuca Bruno)
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)
