Bahrain FP1: Rosberg fastest as Mercedes dominate

Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton hogged the top of the timing screens at the end of the first free practice session of the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, and the difference in time to the next best was immense.

Firing the first salvo in the battle in Round 2 of the F1 world championship, Rosberg's best time of 1:32.294 was half a second up on his teammate, and nearly two seconds up on the best of the rest Kimi Raikkonen in the Ferrari.

Eternal optimists will argue that the session was irrelevant as the time of day has little relevance to the evening time when qualifying and the race will take place at the desert venue.

And also that Ferrari were keeping their powder dry for these very reasons. with Sebastian Vettel doing limited mileage and not running the soft tyres, the German ending the session down the order in 11th.

Nevertheless, Raikkonen did bolt on a set of yellow band Pirelli tyres to go third fastest, but on the Ferrari pit wall they would no doubt have been relieved if the Finn had at least been within striking distance of the Silver Arrows irrespective of the session and its relevance.

Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat were fourth and fifth fastest, respectively, ahead of Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Toro Rosso pair Carlos Sainz Jr. and Max Verstappen were seventh and eighth, followed by Haas driver Romain Grosjean and Williams driver Felipe Massa.

After failing his FIA medical Fernando Alonso watched from the McLaren pit garage as team reserve Stoffel Vandoorne took over the cockpit with number 47 emblazoned on the car.

The Belgian rookie did well to stay out of trouble and get used to the car, ending the session with 25 valuable laps under his belt and 18th on the timing sheets, albeit a second down on his veteran teammate Jenson Button who was 14th at the nd of the 90 minutes session.