Hamilton puts brake on expectations in Sochi

Lewis Hamilton is keeping his hopes of ending a six-race streak winless streak in check despite setting the fastest time in practice for the Russian Grand Prix.

Hamilton has been cast 36 points adrift of Nico Rosberg following the opening three rounds of a campaign which has been blighted by factors largely out of the world champion’s control.

But Hamilton returned to the top of the order in Sochi on a day where Red Bull unveiled the canopy, a cockpit protection device which could become mandatory in Formula One next season, and Ferrari encountered yet more woes in their troubled start to 2016.