Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton was fastest as the new Formula One cars headed out for the first competitive running of the season. The World Champion ended up just a tiny bit faster than the Ferrari duo, headed by Vettel. Just like on the final day of testing, both Mercedes and Ferrari were tightly matched, though this time it was Hamilton who edged his competition. That competition was fierce, with the gap to 5th placed Bottas as little as 0.267s. Kimi Raikkonen was the fastest behind Bottas, confirming expectations that Alfa Romeo might become a strong midfield contender. The Finn edged out Kvyat and Gasly, albeit more than 1.2s slower than the pace setter. Magnussen made sure Haas is...
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