Bottas sets the best F1 time in Portimao, Stroll back behind the wheel after positive COVID-19 test

Racing Point driver Lance Stroll of Canada steers his car during the first practice session for the Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimao, Portugal, Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. The Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix will take place on Sunday. (Rudy Carezzevoli, Pool via AP)

PORTIMAO, Portugal — Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas set the fastest time in the first free practice session of the Formula 1 Portuguese Grand Prix.

He edged teammate Lewis Hamilton by .34 hundredths of a second and Max Verstappen, at Red Bull, by .78 hundredth.

Quebecer Lance Stroll, who missed the previous race after contracting COVID-19, was relegated to 15th, two-and-a-half seconds behind Bottas. Canadian Nicholas Latifi (Williams) placed 20th and last.

Hamilton is comfortably dominating the championship and his victory two weeks ago at the Eifel Grand Prix in Germany saw him equal Michael Schumacher's record 91 F1 wins.

The 4.65-kilometre circuit in Portimao is hilly with frequent changes in altitude where overtaking is difficult. It was used for pre-season testing in 2008 but has never staged an F1 race.

This is the second new circuit on the calendar during the pandemic year after the Grand Prix of Tuscany at Mugello hosted a race last month.

Verstappen and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc had problems with grip early on. Leclerc went off the track and found himself in a gravel pit.

The car was not damaged, and he finished the session fourth.

There is a second practice session later today.

-- this report by The Associated Press was first published Oct. 23, 2020.