Valtteri Bottas was fastest in the first practice session for the Russian Grand Prix on Friday as his Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton was slowed down by damaged tires.
Bottas set the pace with a time of 1 minute, 34.923 seconds, beating Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo by half a second. Max Verstappen was third quickest in his Red Bull, a further .147 back.
Hamilton could only manage 19th fastest after locking up his tires and leaving them with a flat spot. Ferrari again struggled to find pace with Sebastian Vettel ninth and Charles Leclerc 11th.
Mechanics operate on the Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas' of Finland car during the first practice session for the upcoming Russian Formula One Grand Prix, at the Sochi Autodrom circuit, in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. The Russian Formula One Grand Prix will take place on Sunday. (Maxim ShemetovPool Photo via AP)
The session was briefly red-flagged when Nicholas Latifi crashed his Williams into the wall. Carlos Sainz Jr. spun his McLaren backwards into a barrier and broke off his rear wing.
The second practice session is later Friday.
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Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas of Finland steers his car during the first practice session for the upcoming Russian Formula One Grand Prix, at the Sochi Autodrom circuit, in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. The Russian Formula One Grand Prix will take place on Sunday. (Kirill Kudryavtsev, Pool via AP)
Renault driver Daniel Ricciardo of Australia steers his car during the first practice session for the upcoming Russian Formula One Grand Prix, at the Sochi Autodrom circuit, in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. The Russian Formula One Grand Prix will take place on Sunday. (Kirill Kudryavtsev, Pool via AP)
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car during the first practice session for the upcoming Russian Formula One Grand Prix, at the Sochi Autodrom circuit, in Sochi, Russia, Friday, Sept. 25, 2020. The Russian Formula One Grand Prix will take place on Sunday. (Kirill Kudryavtsev, Pool via AP)