Mercedes-AMG's Lewis Hamilton posted the fastest lap of Friday's free practice sessions for this weekend's 2018 Russian Grand Prix. The popular Brit was tailed by his teammate Valtteri Bottas.

Nearest the leading Silver Arrows so far, but still trailing by more than two tenths are both Red Bulls, nary two hundredths between Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. Just over a tenth behind the leading bull was the faster of the two Ferraris, Sebastian Vettel more than a half-second off the pace of provisional leader and championship rival Hamilton. His Sauber-bound teammate Kimi Räikkönen was the only driver from the top three teams not to limbo under the 1:34 bar.

The three leading grid slots have been repaved since the 2017 Russian Grand Prix, and Mercedes was spotted doing practice starts on another patch of new asphalt in the pit lane. Some also claim to have seen Red Bull practicing starts there as well.

Despite missing the morning practice session so Force India's development driver Nicholas Latifi could have a spin in the VJM11, Sergio Perez emerged in the afternoon as the best of the rest, though still slower than the frontrunners by more than seven tenths. A surprising eighth was Pierre Gasly of Toro Rosso-Honda, his pace potentially buoyed by a Honda engine upgrade which Motorsport reports has been deployed in both STR-Hondas this weekend. Spanish journalist Albert Fabrega reports that this upgrade is potentially worth up to 40 horsepower.