Hamilton tops FP1 with 0.5s lead!

It was a familiar sight at the top of the timesheets for Formula 1's for practice session of 2017, with the Silver Arrows first and second.

Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton led the field with a 1'24.220 on ultra-soft tyres which was five-and-a-half seconds quicker than in the same session last year.

The Brit left team mate Valtteri Bottas at a reasonable distance, 0.583s behind, with Red Bull Racing pair Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen following at respectively 0.666s and 1.026s although the Milton Keynes cars were shod on the super-soft rubber.

Ferrari appeared to leave its pre-season momentum in the garage, with Kimi Raikkonen setting his best time on the super-soft compound but 1.152s off Mercedes' pace reference and leading team mate Sebastian Vettel by a tenth of a second. Like Red Bull, Ferrari also stayed off Pirelli's ultra-soft tyre.

The German concluded FP1 earlier than scheduled, heading back to the Scuderia's garage ten minutes before the end of the session with a suspected MGU-K problem on his SF70H.

Williams' Lance Stroll was the first man out on the track, topping the timesheets on his first flying lap on a Grand prix weekend. The Canadian acquitted himself well, and avoided blotting his copy book with a fastest lap that put him 13th overall.

Renault's Jonathan Palmer was a victim early on of a seal fault issue while McLaren's Stoffel Vandooren struggled behind the wheel of a recalcitrant McLaren, the pair closing out the timesheets respectively 4.365 and 4.475 off the leader's pace.

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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.