STYRIAN: Red Bull’s Max Verstappen went fastest in Styrian Grand Prix practice on Friday while Australian Daniel Ricciardo crashed his Renault and six-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton had a difficult afternoon at Mercedes. Hamilton’s Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas, the championship leader after winning Sunday’s Austrian season-opener at the same Red Bull Ring circuit, was second and a mere 0.043 slower. Mexican Sergio Perez, who put Racing Point’s ‘Pink Mercedes’ on top in the morning session at Spielberg, ended the day with the third best time. Hamilton ended the second session sixth, behind Canadian Lance Stroll in fourth for Racing Point and Carlos Sainz fifth for McLaren. With heavy rain forecast on Saturday, there were fears that the second session could dictate the grid positions for Sunday’s race, although Formula One has held qualifying on a Sunday before. Sunday’s race will be the first time a circuit has hosted two grands prix in the same season.