F1 News, Reports and Race Results

Raikkonen tops times mid-day, as trouble hits Mercedes

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen made the most of a drying track to record the fastest time of the day before teams halted running for lunch.

The morning was dedicated to wet weather running, with teams sampling Pirelli's intermediates and full wets.

Haas' Romain Grosjean was second fastest late in the session, having put on a set of the SuperSoft compound to set his time which was just 0.43s off Raikkonen's best.

Stoffel Vandoorne just edged out Max Verstappen, also registering a late lap with his UNtraSoft-shod McLaren.

Lewis Hamilton was scheduled to run on the damp track in the morning but an electronic issue kept the Brit's W08 in the garage. Team mate Valtteri Bottas was sent out at the end of the session, achieving nine laps at a slow pace.

Unfortunately, Williams was missing from the session following damage to its Fw40 chassis sustained when Lance Stroll hit the barriers yesterday.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.