Sebastian Vettel quickest in Bahrain practice as Lewis Hamilton fails to fire

Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel threw down the championship gauntlet to Lewis Hamilton after completing a practice double for the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday.

Vettel finished just 0.041 seconds clear of Valtteri Bottas under the lights of the Sakhir Circuit, with Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo in third and Hamilton, a winner last time out in China, only fifth.