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| Lewis Hamilton leads way in Monaco but rain ruins F1 practice | Lewis Hamilton leads way in Monaco but rain ruins F1 practice |
| (about 21 hours later) | |
| Lewis Hamilton, as if to prove himself worthy of the new three-year, £100m contract he has signed with Mercedes – was quickest in both practice runs here on Thursday. | Lewis Hamilton, as if to prove himself worthy of the new three-year, £100m contract he has signed with Mercedes – was quickest in both practice runs here on Thursday. |
| The afternoon session was shortened by rain but Hamilton still had time to show he was 0.74 seconds quicker than team-mate Nico Rosberg, with Sebastian Vettel third in his Ferrari. Vettel’s team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was fourth, two-tenths of a second slower than Vettel. | The afternoon session was shortened by rain but Hamilton still had time to show he was 0.74 seconds quicker than team-mate Nico Rosberg, with Sebastian Vettel third in his Ferrari. Vettel’s team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was fourth, two-tenths of a second slower than Vettel. |
| But it was a dismal session for race fans – less than 15 minutes in, Manor’s Roberto Merhi crashed into the barriers, causing the red flags to be waved. Six minutes later the action returned, but more rain forced the teams back into their garages and by the time it had relented, and the mopping up had taken place, there was time for only 10 minutes more action. | But it was a dismal session for race fans – less than 15 minutes in, Manor’s Roberto Merhi crashed into the barriers, causing the red flags to be waved. Six minutes later the action returned, but more rain forced the teams back into their garages and by the time it had relented, and the mopping up had taken place, there was time for only 10 minutes more action. |
| Hamilton was also dominant in the morning run, this time finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, followed by Vettel, Carlos Sainz and Pastor Maldonado. He was a second faster than Rosberg, who was back in ninth place. Hamilton was also 1.6 seconds faster than he was in the afternoon. | Hamilton was also dominant in the morning run, this time finishing ahead of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo, followed by Vettel, Carlos Sainz and Pastor Maldonado. He was a second faster than Rosberg, who was back in ninth place. Hamilton was also 1.6 seconds faster than he was in the afternoon. |
| There had been heavy overnight rain and even in the morning there was an atmosphere of chill dampness before FP1 got under way. | There had been heavy overnight rain and even in the morning there was an atmosphere of chill dampness before FP1 got under way. |
| Hamilton is looking for his first win here since his championship year of 2008, while Rosberg will be attempting to become the third driver to score a hat-trick of wins here, following Graham Hill and Ayrton Senna, who actually did five on the spin (1989-1993). Hamilton goes into Sunday’s Monaco Grahd Prix with a 20-point lead over Rosberg. | |
| Apart from the 30-year-old, the most eye-catching performance on Thursday arrived from Max Verstappen. The 17-year-old came second to the world champion in the morning and in the afternoon the Toro Ross driver was seventh. It was also an impressive day for Verstappen’s team-mate Carlos Sainz, who was fifth and sixth. | Apart from the 30-year-old, the most eye-catching performance on Thursday arrived from Max Verstappen. The 17-year-old came second to the world champion in the morning and in the afternoon the Toro Ross driver was seventh. It was also an impressive day for Verstappen’s team-mate Carlos Sainz, who was fifth and sixth. |
| On a number of occasions this season Toro Rosso have appeared faster than their senior partners, Red Bull. They outqualified them in Barcelona, though Red Bill proved the quicker team on race day. | On a number of occasions this season Toro Rosso have appeared faster than their senior partners, Red Bull. They outqualified them in Barcelona, though Red Bill proved the quicker team on race day. |
| “It was a great performance by Max, by a man who is still too young to hire a car,” said Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal. | “It was a great performance by Max, by a man who is still too young to hire a car,” said Christian Horner, the Red Bull team principal. |
| Meanwhile Alex Wurz, the chairman of the grand prix drivers’ association (GPDA), appeared in the paddock on Thursday to announce that F1’s drivers wanted to hear the voice of race fans, with whom thy are conducting a survey. He said: “The survey is going on-line as we speak. We think it might become the biggest fan survey ever conducted in sport. It will continue for two weeks. | Meanwhile Alex Wurz, the chairman of the grand prix drivers’ association (GPDA), appeared in the paddock on Thursday to announce that F1’s drivers wanted to hear the voice of race fans, with whom thy are conducting a survey. He said: “The survey is going on-line as we speak. We think it might become the biggest fan survey ever conducted in sport. It will continue for two weeks. |
| “We want to communicate as drivers. We want to talk to our fans. We want to know what they think. And we want to be the interface between the drivers and the rule-makers. Modern communications allow us to do this. There is no sign we think the sport is in crisis. We just want to support the sport and future decisions. Though maybe there will be such a mixed message that there is no answer.” | “We want to communicate as drivers. We want to talk to our fans. We want to know what they think. And we want to be the interface between the drivers and the rule-makers. Modern communications allow us to do this. There is no sign we think the sport is in crisis. We just want to support the sport and future decisions. Though maybe there will be such a mixed message that there is no answer.” |
| • This article was amended on 22 May 2015. An earlier version referred to 2003 where 1993 was meant. |