Daniel Ricciardo topped the timing sheets in practice one by 0.004 seconds ahead of the German Grand Prix as Formula One returned to Hockenheimring after a year absence.
The Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport of Lewis Hamilton was second with Max Verstappen finishing third fastest.
Home favourite and championship leader Sebastian Vettel was fourth with Valtteri Bottas, celebrating a new deal with Mercedes rounding out the top five.
Kimi Räikkönen in the second Scuderia Ferrari was sixth fastest with the two Haas F1 Team cars of Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen the best of the rest in seventh and eighth.
Charles Leclerc continued his excellent season as he was ninth fastest with the second of the two Germans on the grid, Nico Hülkenberg completing the top ten.
It was Ricciardo who was first out on the track as he prepares for a tough weekend with the confirmation of him taking new parts this weekend meaning he will start from the back of the grid.
The Aston Martin Red Bull Racing of Verstappen was the first to set a timed lap with the two Red Bull Toro Rosso Honda’s the only other cars to set laps in the opening stages of the session.
Esteban Ocon and Marcus Ericsson both sat out the session as Sahara Force India F1 Team and Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team allowed Nicholas Latifi and Antonio Giovinazzi to take part.
It became an eventful session for the Italian as the engine cover of the Sauber blew off on the exit of turn one, revealing the inside of the car to eagled eyed photographers and fans as he made his way back to the pits.
All the drivers were trying to test the limits with Hülkenberg running wide at the entrance to the stadium section and taking a trip across the grass.
It was the Red Bull of Ricciardo who just pipped Hamilton to top spot but the top six again seem very close after the opening ninety minutes of running in Germany.
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