Russian Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton edges out title rival Nico Rosberg in final practice session

Front runner: Lewis Hamilton
Mark Thompson/Getty Images
Philip Duncan30 April 2016

World champion Lewis Hamilton edged out his title rival Nico Rosberg in final practice for the Russian Grand Prix.

The Briton posted a best lap of one minute and 36.403 seconds - the fastest ever seen at the Sochi Autodrom - in the final moments of the session ahead of qualifying later on Saturday.

Rosberg, 36 points clear of Hamilton heading into the fourth round of the championship, was just 0.068 seconds slower than his Mercedes team-mate.

Sebastian Vettel, who will serve a five-place grid penalty after changing his gearbox, was next up for Ferrari, albeit more than half-a-second adrift of Hamilton's best lap with Mercedes appearing to hold a firm advantage over the Italian team.

Kimi Raikkonen placed fourth with the Williams pair of Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas fifth and sixth respectively in the order.

Jenson Button, the 2009 world champion, believes a top-10 grid slot is a realistic ambition for his slowly-improving McLaren team and the Briton will be buoyed by posting the eighth fastest time here on Saturday morning.

The Briton also moved to back Hamilton, his former McLaren team-mate, after his indifferent start to the campaign.

"You've just got to look at how unlucky Lewis has been," Button, the only team-mate to beat Hamilton over one season, said. "It's not that Nico is doing an amazing job and Lewis is doing a terrible job. He's had issues and Nico knows that as soon as Lewis isn't having issues he'll be winning races.

"Unless you're a muppet you know the facts and you watch the last three races and the problems that Lewis has had.

"Lewis will not feel negative or downbeat at all because he knows it will come good, through experience he knows that now and he'll be winning again."

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