Hamilton fastest ahead of Bottas at first practice

Hamilton's Mercedes team head into the race in southern France unbeaten from the opening seven rounds, and the Silver Arrows had the edge over the rest of the field in the first running on Friday. Hamilton, who was excused from his media duties on Thursday to attend a memorial service for the renowned fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld in Paris, held the advantage over Bottas by just 0.069 seconds. In the sister Ferrari, Leclerc was 0.373s adrift of Hamilton, while Verstappen, boosted by a new Honda engine in the back of his Red Bull, was 0.880s off the pace. British teenager Lando Norris, who is enjoying a promising start to his Formula One career, was best of the rest, placing seventh for McLaren. The 19-year-old finished within striking range of Red Bull's Pierre Gasly, and two tenths clear of his McLaren team-mate Carlos Sainz.

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