▁an ▁additional ▁one ▁for ▁the ▁third ▁part ▁of ▁qual ifying , ▁drivers ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁choose ▁ten ▁additional ▁sets ▁of ▁ty res ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁comp ounds ▁available . ▁Not ably , ▁Mer cedes ▁drivers ▁Lewis ▁Hamilton ▁and ▁N ico ▁Ros berg ▁made ▁different ▁choices , ▁with ▁Ros berg ▁opt ing ▁for ▁an ▁additional ▁set ▁of ▁medium s ▁instead ▁of ▁soft ▁ty res . ▁The ▁two ▁Man or ▁drivers ▁chose ▁the ▁most ▁conserv ative ▁way , ▁taking ▁on ▁four ▁sets ▁each ▁of ▁the ▁medium ▁and ▁soft ▁comp ounds . ▁ ▁The ▁race ▁saw ▁the ▁compet itive ▁début ▁of ▁the ▁Ha as ▁F 1 ▁Team , ▁and ▁its ▁car , ▁the ▁Ha as ▁V F - 1 6 ; ▁and ▁the ▁return ▁of ▁Ren ault ▁as ▁a ▁fully ▁manufact urer - supported ▁team ▁after ▁a ▁four - year ▁absence . ▁ ▁Free ▁practice ▁Per ▁the ▁reg ulations ▁for ▁the ▁ ▁season , ▁three ▁practice ▁sessions ▁were ▁held , ▁two ▁ 1 . 5 - hour ▁sessions ▁on ▁Friday ▁and ▁another ▁one - hour ▁session ▁before ▁qual ifying ▁on ▁Saturday . ▁Rain ▁had ▁fallen ▁before ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁practice ▁session , ▁rendering ▁the ▁track ▁wet ▁and ▁sli pp ery , ▁and ▁drivers ▁initially ▁opt ed ▁to ▁go ▁on ▁their ▁first ▁la ps ▁on ▁intermediate ▁ty res . ▁N ico ▁Ros berg ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁to ▁set ▁a ▁lap ▁time , ▁clock ing ▁in ▁at ▁ 1 : 4 4 . 0 3 7 , ▁a ▁time ▁soon ▁better ed ▁by ▁his ▁Mer