Bottas fastest before crashing in final Suzuka practice

Formula One F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 2017 - Suzuka Circuit, Japan - October 7, 2017. Mercedes' Valtteri Bottas of Finland during a practice. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

SUZUKA, Japan (Reuters) - Valtteri Bottas was fastest ahead of Mercedes team mate Lewis Hamilton before hitting the barriers in Saturday’s final practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Finn, carrying a five-place grid penalty for an unscheduled gearbox change, set the pace with a one minute 29.055 seconds lap to edge out world championship leader Hamilton by 0.014 seconds.