Valtteri Bottas implied the fastest for Mercedes in Floodlit free practice on Friday as Formula One prepares to compete in Qatar for the first time with the battle of the title entering the decisive phase.
The Red Bull Championship leader Max Verstappen sets the initial speed in the first session of exploration and dusty on the Losail Circuit on the outskirts of Doha before Botas ended above at night.
“Today starts with a good setting, the balance is pretty good in running first with only a small tweak that must be done for FP2 (second practice),” Bottas said, the seven times the world champion Lewis Hamilton was fourth in both sessions.
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“I would say it’s an ideal way to start weekends on the new lane.” Finn, from the calculation title and headed to Alfa Romeo based in Switzerland at the end of the season, arranged in one minute 23.148 seconds compared to the previous Verstapppen of 1: 23,723.
Bottas is 0.350 faster than verstappen in the second session.
“Today Valtteria looks like a man out there, he is fast in one lap and very good in the long run,” said the head of the Trackside Mercedes Andrew Shovlin, who was happy to see the track appearing.
“If the car works well, then we will get a car that works well with Lewis.
So for us it is an encouraging Friday from that point of view.” Alphaturi Pierre Gasmy was second in both practices with Verstappen, who led Hamilton by 14 points with three remaining races, third at night.
Hamilton was 0.786 slower than the rival the title in the opening session when he ran wide in the turn in turn 14 before complaining with a broken front wing.
“Do we slow down straight or something?” British people ask radio.
“No, not too,” Peter Bonnington’s Engineer Race answered.
Hamilton said after the second session that he would look for some answers overnight.
“I don’t know how big the gap is, but I leave, I definitely don’t close it,” he said.
“The trajectory is pretty good, there is no real problem.
Rather I’m a little slow so I need to find out tonight.” Russian Rookie Nikita Mazepin missed the night session when Tim Haas replaced his chassis after the damage was maintained on the previous task.