F1-EL1: Nico Rosberg takes the lead in Austin

A few hours before the start of the first driving session of the United States Grand Prix in Austin, the rain had invited itself to the party in Texas, but free practice 1 ultimately took place on a damp track which improved as the proceedings progressed.

At the end of the first hour and a half of action on the other side of the Atlantic, it is Nico Rosberg who set the best time in 1’53”989 in intermediate tires and which is ahead of both Red Bull by Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo, relegated to more than 1″2 from the Mercedes W06 Hybrid n°44 from the German.

Carlos Sainz (Toro Rosso) climbs into fourth position just ahead of the reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes). Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) finished sixth after evolving with the new engine on his SF15-T, and ahead Max Verstappen (Toro Rosso) and his teammate Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari) who apparently encountered a brake problem during the session.

Fernando Alonso (McLaren), one of the most diligent on the track, and Valtteri Bottas, which caused a scare in the stand Williams, by nearly knocking down one of the members of the Grove team during a stop, complete the top 10. The first Lotus of Romain Grosjean, who finally took his place in the E23 Hybrid (Jolyon Palmer will take over in EL2), finished 15th, while Pastor Maldonado did not set a time, slowed down by a gearbox problem.

The second free practice session will begin at 21 p.m. French time, but could be largely disrupted by the weather, with rain being forecast again.