Raikkonen tops Russian Grand Prix practice

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen has set the pace in first practice for the Russian Grand Prix on Friday ahead of Mercedes drivers Valtteri Bottas and Lewis Hamilton.

Raikkonen has been in the shadow of team-mate Sebastian Vettel, who has won two of three races so far this season, but posted a session best of 1 minute 36.074 seconds around the 5.848-kilometre track in Sochi.

Bottas trailed by just 0.045 seconds with Hamilton around 6 tenths slower than Raikkonen. Vettel was only fifth, more than a second off the Finn, and behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen.

Australia's Daniel Ricciardo was in sixth place with a time of one minute 37.29 seconds.

There are further practice sessions later Friday and Saturday ahead of qualifying for Sunday's race.

Vettel, who won in Australia along with Bahrain, has 68 points in the championship standings, while Chinese GP winner Hamilton is on 61 and Bottas on 38.