Monaco GP Thursday practice
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Speaking of Vettel, the Ferrari driver is wearing a properly mega Niki Lauda tribute helmet this weekend. Great stuff.
We've had our first Ste Devote miscue of the morning, as Vettel goes deep into the runoff before rejoining the track.
Leclerc sits third now, 0.357s off the pace, with Ricciardo and Vettel 0.7s back in fourth and fifth.
Stopwatch
Bottas duly shaves another 1.2s off his best, this time setting a 1m14.240s. Hamilton is just 0.052s off with his next lap.
The Mercedes is going quicker again on a third consecutive lap.
Bottas goes faster on his next lap with a 1m15.489s as Vettel pops up into second, seven tenths down.
Plenty of times on the board at this early stage, as Leclerc and Vettel go third and fifth - with Hulkenberg in between - on their first laps.
Stopwatch
Bottas and Hamilton go first and second now on soft tyres. Bottas's time features lots of ones and sevens - it's a 1m17.771s.
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Stopwatch
Kubica and Russell are the first two drivers to register timed laps. Kubica is fastest for the time being on a 1m22.956s that is unlikely to be representative of a fast lap for anyone this weekend.
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Green flag
The McLarens of Sainz and Norris, Giovinazzi, Grosjean and Kvyat head straight out on track as the light turns green at the end of the pitlane.
Monaco is traditionally a happy hunting ground for Red Bull, but will that be the case this year? Mercedes was mighty in the low-speed third sector at Barcelona a fortnight ago, which means it - and not Red Bull or Ferrari - is likely to be favourite on the streets of Monte Carlo this weekend.
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Mercedes is not alone - a number of other teams' cars will sport messages in memory of Lauda this weekend.
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The build up to this weekend's race has been dominated by tributes to Niki Lauda, who died on Monday at the age of 70. Mercedes revealed on Wednesday it will run special branding this weekend in tribute to the triple world champion, who served as the team's non-executive chairman. 
Yes, it's Thursday; no, we haven't gone mad. As usual, practice takes place a day early in Monaco - with Friday treated as a 'rest' day before a conventional Saturday/Sunday programme.
Good morning, and welcome to live coverage of Monaco Grand Prix practice.
By: Geoff Creighton
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