The fourth round of the 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship began with practice Friday at the Sochi Autodrom, as teams prepared for the Russian Grand Prix on Sunday. The fastest times in both FP1 and FP2 were set by Scuderia Ferrari drivers.
Leading the way in FP1 was Kimi Räikkönen, whose fast lap of 1:36.074 was .045 of a second better than the next quickest driver, Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas. Räikkönen’s quick lap was .737 of a second off the all-time fastest lap at the Sochi Autodrom – a 1:35.337 set by Nico Rosberg in his Mercedes during qualifying for last year’s Russian GP.
That record ultimately fell in FP2 as the grip level increased and the pace quickened, due in large part to teams switching to the Purple ultrasoft tire, the grippiest compound in Pirelli’s lineup.
First free practice results:
| 1. | K. Raikkonen | Ferrari | 01:36.074 | ||
| 2. | V. Bottas | Mercedes | 01:36.119 | ||
| 3. | L. Hamilton | Mercedes | 01:36.681 | ||
| 4. | M. Verstappen | Red Bull | 01:37.174 | ||
| 5. | S. Vettel | Ferrari | 01:37.230 | ||
| 6. | D. Ricciardo | Red Bull | 01:37.290 | ||
| 7. | S. Perez | Force India | 01:37.457 | ||
| 8. | F. Massa | Williams | 01:37.900 | ||
| 9. | L. Stroll | Williams | 01:37.944 | ||
| 10. | E. Ocon | Force India | 01:38.065 | ||
| 11. | D. Kvyat | Toro Rosso | 01:38.496 | ||
| 12. | K. Magnussen | Haas | 01:38.747 | ||
| 13. | F. Alonso | McLaren | 01:38.813 | ||
| 14. | C. Sainz Jr. | Toro Rosso | 01:38.976 | ||
| 15. | J. Palmer | Renault | 01:39.158 | ||
| 16. | R. Grosjean | Haas | 01:39.533 | ||
| 17. | S. Vandoorne | McLaren | 01:39.541 | ||
| 18. | P. Wehrlein | Sauber | 01:39.731 | ||
| 19. | M. Ericsson | Sauber | 01:40.079 | ||
| 20. | S. Sirotkin | Renault | no time |
Ferrari remained quickest, with Räikkönen’s teammate, Sebastian Vettel, topping FP2 with a 1:34.120, which was .263 of a second faster than Räikkönen and 1.217 seconds faster than the previous track record set by Rosberg.
Second free practice results:
| 1. | S. Vettel | Ferrari | 01:34.120 | ||
| 2. | K. Raikkonen | Ferrari | 01:34.383 | ||
| 3. | V. Bottas | Mercedes | 01:34.790 | ||
| 4. | L. Hamilton | Mercedes | 01:34.829 | ||
| 5. | M. Verstappen | Red Bull | 01:35.540 | ||
| 6. | D. Ricciardo | Red Bull | 01:35.910 | ||
| 7. | F. Massa | Williams | 01:36.261 | ||
| 8. | N. Hulkenberg | Renault | 01:36.329 | ||
| 9. | K. Magnussen | Haas | 01:36.506 | ||
| 10. | S. Perez | Force India | 01:36.600 | ||
| 11. | E. Ocon | Force India | 01:36.654 | ||
| 12. | F. Alonso | McLaren | 01:36.765 | ||
| 13. | J. Palmer | Renault | 01:36.771 | ||
| 14. | R. Grosjean | Haas | 01:37.039 | ||
| 15. | C. Sainz Jr. | Toro Rosso | 01:37.083 | ||
| 16. | S. Vandoorne | McLaren | 01:37.125 | ||
| 17. | D. Kvyat | Toro Rosso | 01:37.300 | ||
| 18. | P. Wehrlein | Sauber | 01:37.441 | ||
| 19. | L. Stroll | Williams | 01:37.747 | ||
| 20. | M. Ericsson | Sauber | 01:37.819 |
