Lewis Hamilton was quickest as practice for the Mexican Grand Prix began in cool conditions.
The Mercedes driver used the hardest rubber available the weekend, the medium compound, to lead the times on a 1’20.914, five seconds inside the best time from the same session 12 months ago. Team mate Nico Rosberg also used the medium compound for his quickest run and lapped seven-tenths slower than his team mate, the pair separated by five of their rivals.
Those were led by the Ferrari pair, Sebastian Vettel fractionally quicker than Kimi Raikkonen as both set their quickest times on soft tyres.
The two Force Indias were next, Sergio Perez ahead of Nico Hulkenberg, both VJM09 drivers on the super-soft rubber. Hulkenberg reported problems with his DRS on more than one occasion, which was occasionally deploying on straights were it shouldn’t have been available.
Encouragingly for Williams, Valtteri Bottas was just a few hundredths of a second slower than Hulkenberg, using the soft tyres. Felipe Massa was also inside the top ten.
Red Bull kept a low profile in the session, Daniel Ricciardo the highest of their drivers in eighth place. Max Verstappen’s running was disrupted when his rear brakes caught fire after one run.
Felipe Nasr hit trouble too when the right-hand side of his front wing collapsed after he ran down the kerb at the exit of turn 11. The wing shattered as he ran over it and the session was stopped for almost ten minutes while the debris was cleared away.
The track temperature never rose above 26C, significantly below last year’s peak of 40C during this session.
First practice visual gaps
Lewis Hamilton – 1’20.914
+0.079 Sebastian Vettel – 1’20.993
+0.158 Kimi Raikkonen – 1’21.072
+0.286 Sergio Perez – 1’21.200
+0.495 Nico Hulkenberg – 1’21.409
+0.533 Valtteri Bottas – 1’21.447
+0.759 Nico Rosberg – 1’21.673
+0.813 Daniel Ricciardo – 1’21.727
+0.922 Felipe Massa – 1’21.836
+1.301 Daniil Kvyat – 1’22.215
+1.586 Romain Grosjean – 1’22.500
+1.649 Carlos Sainz Jnr – 1’22.563
+1.809 Marcus Ericsson – 1’22.723
+1.963 Max Verstappen – 1’22.877
+1.996 Esteban Gutierrez – 1’22.910
+2.175 Fernando Alonso – 1’23.089
+2.175 Felipe Nasr – 1’23.089
+2.642 Kevin Magnussen – 1’23.556
+3.169 Esteban Ocon – 1’24.083
+3.183 Jolyon Palmer – 1’24.097
+3.436 Pascal Wehrlein – 1’24.350
Drivers more then ten seconds off the pace omitted.
Todfod (@todfod)
28th October 2016, 17:54
Ferrari and Force India looking pretty strong here. This could be a big opportunity for Lewis in the WDC chase. If he can take pole and lead the race after Lap 1, there is a strong chance there could be at least one car between him and Rosberg.
Also, touche to Mclaren. Looks like Suzuka all over again for this disaster of a team.
Todfod (@todfod)
28th October 2016, 17:55
Damn! Sorry.. Didn’t read that Lewis time was set on the harder compound. Looks like another Merc 1-2 for sure this weekend.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
28th October 2016, 18:17
I counted 5 cars running the Halo – was that right?
Felipe Massa’s Williams, Kevin Magnussen’s Renault, Pascal Wehrlein’s Manor, Sergio Pérez’s Force India, and Felipe Nasr’s Sauber.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
28th October 2016, 18:49
A minor point but every car in first practice was inside the quickest time set in WEC qualifying last month, which was Andre Lotterer’s 1’24.763 in an Audi R18 eTron Quattro.
hahostolze (@hahostolze)
28th October 2016, 19:23
Why are people making such a point of that? WEC cars are 300 kgs heavier and probably similarly powerful. F1 should be the pinnacle. If anything, the gap should be bigger (2017 please)
Martin
28th October 2016, 21:53
Not sure why people want to see the cars lap a few seconds quicker over, say, decent racing.
Kenny
28th October 2016, 18:49
Good job with the visual Gaps infographic, Keith!