Williams driver Valtteri Bottas set the standard on the opening day of the post-Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test at the Yas Marina Circuit, ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen and Mercedes rival Nico Rosberg.

Bottas, who secured his sixth podium of the season in last weekend’s race, clocked a 1:43.396 to beat Räikkönen by almost half a second.

Both Finns are due to vacate their cars tomorrow, with Felipe Nasr marking his final laps for Williams prior to joining Sauber, and Ferrari protege Raffaele getting a run in the F14 T.

Rosberg set about recovering from the disappointment of his title defeat with the third fastest time, and the day’s highest lap count of 114.

GP2 champion Jolyon Palmer ended his first day in Formula 1 machinery a credible fourth, bouncing back from an engine-related stoppage in the morning.

Carlos Sainz Jr. was another to make a late improvement, rounding out the top five in Red Bull’s RB10, an outing received as a reward for winning this year’s Formula Renault 3.5 title.

Caterham’s Will Stevens followed in sixth, and was the only other driver to surpass the 100-lap mark as he looked to build on the experience of his debut race weekend with the team.

Lotus tester Charles Pic placed seventh, while Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson and Toro Rosso youngster Max Verstappen were the last of the timed runners.

Verstappen’s day was hindered by an early crash that resulted in heavy front-end damage and lengthy suspension repairs, but he was able to rejoin the action in the afternoon.

Stoffel Vandoorne brought up the rear in the McLaren-Honda development car, completing just three laps as the team worked through various teething problems.

Having been delayed by electrical problems in the morning, the Belgian made his first appearance with less than three hours left on the clock, and ground to a halt on his second run.