Ricciardo tops practice times

MONTE CARLO, Principality of Monaco: Daniel Ricciardo topped the times ahead of his Red Bull team-mate Max Verstappen in Thursday’s opening free practice for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix. The big-smiling Australian clocked a best lap of one minute and 12.126 seconds to outpace the young Dutchman by one-tenth of a second.

Championship leader and defending four-time champion Briton Lewis Hamilton was third for Mercedes, three-tenths adrift of the quickest time, ahead of title rival and fellow four time champion German Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari.Finn Kimi Raikkonen was fifth in the second Ferrari ahead of Spaniard Carlos Sainz of Renault and Finn Valtteri Bottas who was seventh in second Mercedes.