The first session of the Russian GP has taken place and Mercedes lives up to its role as favourite. Verstappen did not have a smooth training but managed to set a third time.
Mercedes can do good business with regard to the Constructors' Championship. Red Bull Racing doesn't seem to be in top form yet, and Mercedes on the other hand is fast. Valtteri Bottas closed the first practice session with the fastest time, two tenths faster than teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen tried several runs on the red soft tyre but was unable to make things difficult for the Mercedes. The Dutchman also missed the long runs at the end of the session. Five minutes before the end of the session, Verstappen was already out of the race.