Defending champion and current series leader Lewis Hamilton has topped the times for Mercedes in both of the free practice sessions ahead of Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix.
The 30-year-old two-time world champion clocked a best lap of one minute and 17.192 before a rain shower – and a red flag – interrupted the afternoon’s running to wind up seven-tenths of a second quicker than Mercedes team-mate and nearest title rival Nico Rosberg of Germany.
Rosberg, who is seeking to complete a rare hat-trick of three successive Monaco Grand Prix wins, had a ‘moment’ during the morning when he ‘kissed’ the barriers at Tabac corner and was unable to mount a serious challenge on the impressive Hamilton.
Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo endured a torrid day, finishing 16th overall, 2.447 seconds behind Hamilton.
Former teammate and four-time champion Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari was third fastest, 1.1 seconds off Hamilton’s pace, but ahead of his teammate Finn Kimi Raikkonen, Russian Daniil Kvyat of Red Bull and the talented young Spaniard Carlos Sainz in a Toro Rosso.
Dutch teenager Max Verstappen continued his extraordinary impact this season by taking seventh in the second Toro Rosso car ahead of a much-improved performance from two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Spain in the troublesome McLaren-Honda.
Earlier in the week, Lewis Hamilton signed a very lucrative contract extension with Mercedes that will see him the team until 2018. Media reports have suggested Hamilton will be earning more than $50 million a year. Hamilton says he’s happy to continue with the car maker that supported him at the start of his career.
“Mercedes-Benz began supporting me in 1998 so I am very proud that this contract means I will mark 20 years with Mercedes in 2018,” he said.
Source: AFP, Reuters