Lewis Hamilton starts critical Brazilian GP with free practice success

ByReuters

Updated 11/11/2016 at 18:04 GMT

Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton gave Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg a reminder on Friday that he will not hand over his Formula One title without a fight in Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton of Britain in action during the first practice session

Image credit: Reuters

The Briton, 19 points behind the German with two races remaining, was fastest in both sessions at a sunny Interlagos with his best lap of one minute 11.895 seconds set on soft compound tyres in the morning.

Rosberg was third, and 0.230 off the pace in that session, but ended the day second on the afternoon timesheets and just 0.030 slower.

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On paper he has a good chance, having won the last two Brazilian Grands Prix from pole position, but Hamilton -- wearing an Ayrton Senna themed helmet this weekend -- has the momentum after victories in Texas and Mexico.

Red Bull's Dutch teenager Max Verstappen was second in the morning but sixth after lunch, when the Williams pair of Valtteri Bottas and home favourite Felipe Massa were Mercedes' closest rivals.

The weather at Interlagos can change from sunshine to torrential rain in a matter of minutes and the race has a history of surprises and drama, meaning there is still everything to play for.

Were Hamilton to win and Rosberg fail to score, the Briton would lead the championship to an Abu Dhabi finale that could crown either of the Mercedes drivers.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo was fourth fastest for Red Bull who have improved steadily this season and are the only team other than Mercedes to have won races.

Finland's Valtteri Bottas was fifth fastest for Williams with Mexican Sergio Perez and Germany's Nico Hulkenberg sixth and seventh for Force India.

Brazilian Felipe Massa, a double winner at Interlagos who is making his home farewell this weekend before retirement, was eighth on the timesheets.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel was ninth, on the slower medium tyres, after spinning off in the closing minutes -- his comments over the radio swiftly bleeped out on the television feed.

The German was warned after an expletive-laden outburst at the previous race in Mexico.

Russian reserve Sergey Sirotkin took Kevin Magnussen's place at Renault for the morning session while Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc was given a practice run in Mexican Esteban Gutierrez's Haas.

McLaren's Fernando Alonso provided some laughs when his McLaren suffered an energy recovery problem and stopped trackside.

The Spaniard also broke down in practice at Interlagos last year, when he triggered a social media flurry by sitting on a marshal's folding chair and sunning himself with his feet resting on his helmet.

This time he again cast around for something to sit on, and found a television operator who offered him his place at the controls of the camera.

Free practice 1 results

1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes 1:11.895

2. Max Verstappen (Netherlands) Red Bull - TAG Heuer 1:11.991

3. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes 1:12.125

4. Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull - TAG Heuer 1:12.371

5. Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams-Mercedes 1:13.129

6. Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India - Mercedes 1:13.289

7. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Force India - Mercedes 1:13.293

8. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams-Mercedes 1:13.318

9. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari 1:13.567

10. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 1:13.569

11. Carlos Sainz Jr (Spain) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:13.711

12. Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1:14.090

13. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 1:14.252

14. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren 1:14.296

15. Romain Grosjean (France) Haas - Ferrari 1:14.507

16. Felipe Nasr (Brazil) Sauber - Ferrari 1:14.631

17. Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Sauber - Ferrari 1:14.654

18. Esteban Ocon (France) Manor - Mercedes 1:14.827

19. Jolyon Palmer (Britain) Renault 1:14.908

20. Pascal Wehrlein (Germany) Manor - Mercedes 1:14.948

21. Charles Leclerc (Monaco) Haas - Ferrari 1:15.391

22. Sergey Sirotkin (Russia) Renault 1:15.800

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