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Vettel ends the first practice session at Japan on top

Published on 06 Oct 2017 04:31
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By: Fergal Walsh

Sebastian Vettel has ended the first practice session at the Suzuka Circuit on top of the timesheets. The German's fastest time was a 1:29.166, over two tenths up on championship rival Lewis Hamilton, who finished up in second place.

There was a threat of rain lingering around the whole session, with some drops appearing throughout the duration of the ninety minutes. With just five minutes remaining, the clouds began to let go which brought the cars back into the garage for an early finish.

There was a heavy crash for Carlos Sainz with half an hour remaining on the clock. Rounding the hairpin of Turn 11, the 23-year-old lost the car under acceleration, getting too much onto the exit kerb. Before the collision, it was revealed that Sainz will receive a twenty-grid place penalty for this weekend's race.

RED FLAG: Session halted as SAI hits the barriers after Turn 11

Big impact but he's jumped out and is ok ?#JapaneseGP ?? #FP1 pic.twitter.com/a8CIWCstZ4
— Formula 1 (@F1) October 6, 2017

Daniel Ricciardo was third, meaning three different constructors filled out the first three spots on the timesheets. Kimi Raikkonen was fourth, just under half a second behind his teammate Sebastian Vettel. Raikkonen's compatriot Valtteri Bottas was fifth.

Max Verstappen followed the two Finn's, with his time being well down on the pace set by Vettel. Esteban Ocon was seventh, leading the Renault of Nico Hulkenberg. Romain Grosjean showed some promising pace for Haas, ending the session in ninth.

It wasn't all clockwork for Haas however, as Kevin Magnussen was told to return the pits with caution in the remaining minutes, his engineer warning him not to change gear. He came home in eleventh, behind Stoffel Vandoorne who rounded out the top ten.

Fernando Alonso was twelfth, with Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll trailing the double-world champion. Jolyon Palmer, who will be departing from Renault at the end of the season, was fifteenth, seven-tenths down on his teammate's fastest time.

Felipe Massa was next in sixteenth, ahead of the two Toro Rosso's of Sainz and Pierre Gasly. The Sauber's of Pascal Wehrlein and Marcus Ericsson backed up the field, ending the session in nineteenth and twentieth.

F1Grand Prix Japan - Free practice 1

Circuit Suzuka - 06 October 2017

Driver

Team

Time

Difference

#
1

Sebastian Vettel

Ferrari

1:29.166

23
2

Lewis Hamilton

Mercedes

1:29.377

+0.211

29
3

Daniel Ricciardo

Red Bull Racing

1:29.541

+0.375

27
4

Kimi Räikkönen

Ferrari

1:29.638

+0.472

22
5

Valtteri Bottas

Mercedes

1:30.151

+0.985

30
6

Max Verstappen

Red Bull Racing

1:30.762

+1.596

26
7

Esteban Ocon

Force India

1:30.899

+1.733

22
8

Nico Hülkenberg

Renault

1:30.974

+1.808

24
9

Romain Grosjean

Haas F1

1:31.032

+1.866

22
10

Stoffel Vandoorne

McLaren

1:31.202

+2.036

24
11

Kevin Magnussen

Haas F1

1:31.216

+2.050

15
12

Fernando Alonso

McLaren

1:31.235

+2.069

19
13

Sergio Perez

Force India

1:31.530

+2.364

23
14

Lance Stroll

Williams

1:31.602

+2.436

22
15

Jolyon Palmer

Renault

1:31.757

+2.591

22
16

Felipe Massa

Williams

1:31.912

+2.746

20
17

Carlos Sainz jr

Toro Rosso

1:32.252

+3.086

14
18

Pierre Gasly

Toro Rosso

1:32.501

+3.335

18
19

Pascal Wehrlein

Sauber

1:32.897

+3.731

29
20

Marcus Ericsson

Sauber

1:33.397

+4.231

28

Photos Japan 2017

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F1 News Max Verstappen Fernando Alonso Valtteri Bottas Felipe Massa Romain Grosjean Daniel Ricciardo Lewis Hamilton Sebastian Vettel Kimi Räikkönen Marcus Ericsson Sergio Perez Jolyon Palmer Kevin Magnussen Stoffel Vandoorne Pascal Wehrlein Pierre Gasly Esteban Ocon Lance Stroll Sauber Renault